THE COMMISSIONERS INTRODUCE NEW METHODS, IN SOUTH WALES
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Swansea Corporation and the Free Use of the Public Streets
QEVERAL anomalies have been re.
moved by the South Wales Area Traffic Commissioners at recent sittings and their deeisions will be noted with interest by Welsh proprietors.
At Llanelly4 when the local tramways company asked for protection on certain routes the Commissioners pointed out that tramways undertakings had specific clauses in their Acts of Parliament defining the protection to be given them and the Commissioners did not think they should go beyond those protective clauses.
At the Swansea sitting an interesting .statement of the Commissioners' views B44 on the competition of buses with trams was macre. The Vanguard Bus Co-, Swansea and Bishopston, asked for this and the Commissioners stated that the tramways company at Swansea wanted to say that the bus operatOrs must charge 50 per cent, above the tramway fare for a whole route, even if a bus passenger was only travelling a short section of that route. Thus, on a 10d. tram route a fare of 1s. 3d. must be charged to a bus passenger for a journey costing 2d. by tram. The bus company cbntended that 3d. would be the right charge to the passenger, i.e., 50 per cent above the tram fare.
The Commissioners said that their view was that buses were entitled to compete with trams over any section of a route and on sliest stages, providing they charged 50 per cent, above the tram fare. The point of the bus company was thus upheld:
When, in the old days, a number of bus companies attempted, failing the obtaining from Swansea , Corporation of licenses, to run private-hire -.services to Swansea they were forced to. provide their own garages, not being allowed street stands. Somo of these companies later, but before the Commissioners regime, obtained licences from the Ministry of Transport or Swansea Corporation on condition that they used their own garages and not street stands. These services, in most cases, have been licensed since as public services.
was made recently at Swansea by the Eclipse Saloon Co., Ltd., one such licensed company, for the Commissioners' ruling on its claim to be entitled to use the streets fer parking, in common with Swansea, owned services. The applicant pointed out that it would mean a saving of £400 per annum paid now in Swansea for terminus garages.
The Commissioners said that these services operated from outside Swansea should be given equal street rights with other licensed services and they referred the matter to Swansea Corporation for this to be arranged. If possible, the Commissioners thought it would be fair for services on identical routes to use common street termini. Palling the corporation arranging street facilities for services at present using garages, the Commissioners will do so