Standee Bus Date Fixed
Page 40
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A DATE has been fixed for the intro
duction of the Ministry of Transport's revised requirements for standee buses. They are to apply to vehicles first registered or adapted as standee vehicles on or after June I next, but vehicles built to comply with the previous requirements w:11 continue to be accepted by certifying officers up to September 1 next.
The wording of the official memorandum has been slightly revised to improve its clarity and delete a vaguely worded phrase concerning the provision of seats having minimum dimensions. It is evident, however, that the requirements are unchanged in substance from those reported in The Commercial Motor for February 8.
Glasgow's Surplus Down
THE total income of Glasgow Corpor ation transport department fell by about £200,000, to £9,731,348, in 1961-62 compared with the previous year and the surplus was down to £76,181 (£311,010 in 1960-61). Although tramway track maintenance costs were very much reduced because of the conversion scheme, loan charges were up—to nearly £1m.
In his annual report the general manager, Mr. E, R. L. Fitzpayne, said that although the price per passenger seat for the 78-seat double-deckers (150 Atlanteans have been ordered, largely to meet increasing peak-hour demands) was higher than for existing 72-seat, front-engine, forward-entrance doubledeckers, the increased capacity would contribute to stabilization of the fleet size and of peak-hour staffs; this would result in economies.
Although passenger numbers were still declining the rate of decline seemed to be lessening, said Mr. Fitzpayne. Last year about 11 m. (2.1 per cent) fewer passengers were carried, compared with a fall of 21 m. (3-9 per cent) in the previous year.
New buses received during the year totalled 87, while 23 were disposed of, these being Albion, A.E.C. and Daimler models.
All Glasgow's buses are to have heaters by next winter, reports Mr. Fitzpayne.
L.U.T. Profit Up
T' group profit of Lancashire United Transport Ltd., after tax and depreciation, was £104,208 in 1962, an increase of £22,531 on the previous year's balance. Announcing this at the company's annual general meeting last week, the chairman, Mr. Robert Cary, said the number of passengers carried in 1962 was down by 214 per cent on the 1961 figure.
The L.U.T. fleet now totalled 302 double-deck buses, 59 single-deck buses and 62 coaches, said Mr. Cary. New " overspill " areas and districts of new population growth on the fringes of the company's operating region could both make a substantial contribution to future traffic revenues.