PASSENGER TRANSPORT
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THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS '
T.G.W.U. OFFERS TO TAKE OVER LEICESTER TRANSPORT.
IT is reported that the Leicester `section of the Transport and General Workers' Union has offered to take over the operation of the municipal transport undertaking of Leicester.
The Union has strongly criticized the running of the tram and bus systems, and it has signified its willingness to take over the traffic section of the department and run it on "sound, practical lines that will give satisfaction to the council and the travelling public."
At a meeting of the tramways committee, a few days ago, Alderman W. K. Billings, the Lord Mayor, moved a resolution that a report be prepared showing the position of the undertaking, so that the possibility of entirely replacing the trains by buses might be considered.
ADVANCED NEGOTIATIONS FOR LONDON MERGER.
FURTHER to the announcement in last week's issue, we are authorized by George Ewer and Co., Ltd., 56, Stamford Hill, London, N.16, to state that negotiations for the purchase of the business of Eva's Motor Coaches, Ltd., are at an advanced stage.
It is anticipated that applications' for the transfer of the necessary licences will be placed • before the Traffic Commissioners at an early date.
FOUR TRAM ROUTES TO END.
HALIFAX Corporation is pursuing a
policy of confining the tramways to thickly populated areas of the town, and running buses in other parts. The latest tramway curtailments involve four routes. The municipality is also seeking to extend its. bus services outside the borough, and has asked for permission to run new services in Stainland. Elland and Sowerby.
LONDON TRANSPORT ACQUIRING PART OF HILLMAN'S.
LONDON Transport is, we under
stand, acquiring the suburban-service business and Romford garage of Edward Hillman's" Saloon Coaches, Ltd. We are informed that 65 vehicles and 300 employees are concerned.
LOSS OF 7d. A MILE!
IT was stated that all the West 'Somerset services of the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., were operated at a loss, when the company applied to the Western Traffic Corn missmners for permission to withdraw the service from Watchet to Monk silver. It was alleged that on this route the company was losing 7d. per mile, and the application was granted.
GAS BUSES FOR LINCOLN.
A S foreshadowed in The Commercial '11,1oior, some time ago, Lincoln Corporationhas decided to operate gasdriven vehicles. At first, one of the municipal buses is to be converted to the experimental use of coal-gas fuel. A compressing plant has been set up.
NEWCASTLE STATION DISPUTE: SETTLEMENT EFFORT FAILS.
A N effort by the bus operators to 'settle the dispute between themselves and Newcastle-on-Tyne Watch Committee, respecting the working of the Haymarket bus station, has not been successful. The controversy, which has continued for nearly a year,' is expected to end in the Eigh Court.
The committee has considered, in private, terms for a settlement submitted by the bus operators. Although nothing official is known, it is understood that the terms were as follow :— "Withdrawal of the High Court writs served upon members of the Northern Road Transport Owners' Association with reference to accumulated arrears of standage fees ; withdrawal of 332 summonses against owners, following upon their continued use of the Haymarket bus station, contrary to the watch committee's orders; removal of the Coulson Memorial, weighbridge and house, and the removal of the superstructure of the cloakrooms; the reallocation of platforms and reduction of standage charges." It is understood that the committee decided not to accept the proposals, and declined to re-open negotiations until the operators recognize the committee's status as landlord of the bus station, and pay off the arrears, which now amount to more than £600.
BIG GARAGE AT KETTERING.
A GARAGE for 100 vehicles is to be ' erected at Kettering by the United Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., which, as already reported in The Commercial Motor, has recently considerably extended its activites.
MORE DRASTIC LIMITS ON YORKSHIRE SUMMER SERVICES.
RESTRICTIONS in seasonal express
services between Yorkshire inland towns and seaside resorts, even more drastic than those announced in last week's issue, have now been revealed in decisions announced by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners.
Some Yorkshire operators who have been running daily express services to seaside resorts during the_ holiday season will now be able to run only on Saturdays and Sundays, except during the holiday week in the town or towns from which they are licensed to operate. Even during these holiday weeks the number of vehicles allowed is strictlylimited, In several cases, only one coach may, he run daily during the week, with a maximum of about 10 on the Saturday and Sunday at the beginning and end of the holiday week.
TU. Leeds, for example, the local•holi-clays are held during Bank Holiday week. It is estimated that on Bank
Holiday Saturday, last year, about 250 seasonal express vehicles left the city, but it is calculated that if the restrictive policy be carried through the number this year will be reduced to about SO. • Nearly 40 independent express. carriage operators in Yorkshire will meet at the Griffin Hotel, Leeds, on Monday evening next (January 15), to
consider the position. It is expected that a proposal will be put forward to raise a fund with which to employ counsel to conduct an appeal against the Commissioners' decisions in this matter.
U.A.S. TAKES OVER THREE ROUTES.
IT is announced that United Automobile Services, Ltd., has taken over three routes from ,Newcastle to Clousdon Hill, Newcastle to Whitley Bay, and Newcastle to Killingworth, formerly operated for nine years by County Motor Services, Ltd. The County concern is still operating on the Newcastle-Ashington route.
OPPOSITION TO LONDON TRANSPORT !-TROLLEYBUS BILL.
STRENUOUS resistance' to the Bill to be promoted in Parliament by London Transport for power to run trolleybuses, was recommended by the Metropolitan Boroughs Standing Joint Committee, last Monday night. '
It was pointed out that a clause was included under which the Board sought power to discontinue the operation of any tramways route, without a limit to the period during which it might be discontinued. It was felt that the object was to avoid_ the cost of having to remove the tram track.
DOVER RATEPAYERS AGAINST TROLLE YBUSE S.
AT a poll of ratepayers, at Dover,
last Monday, 6.348 persons voted against the promotion of a Bill in Parliament to obtain power to replace the trams by trolleybuses, 976 persons voting in favour of them. Of the total of 19,593 ratepayers, only 7,342 voted.
UNDERCUTTING CONFERENCE POSTPONED.
THE conference of operators which was to have been held last Friday, at the Traffic Commissioners' offices, Newcastle, to discuss undercutting,
did not take place, and another date is being fixed. The object is to settle points at issue regarding fare-tables, which arose recently when Sir John Maxwell. chairman of the Commissioners, held an inquiry into alleged undercutting.
COMMISSIONERS CHANGE ADDRESS.v
AS and from January 22 the address
of the North-Western Traffic Commissioners will be Arkwright House, The Parsonage, Deansgate, Manchester, 3. The present offices will be closed to the public on January 19.
NEW ASSOCIATION FORMED IN MID-WALES.
A N association has been formed to AN
the interests of operators in Montgomeryshire and district, under the title of the Montgomeryshire and District Bus and Road Haulage Association. The chairman is Mr. A. R. Cross, of Cooksons, Ltd., Newtown, and committees have been formed, one to look after the interests of public-servicevehicle operators, and the other to concern itself with haulage matters.
The secretary, Mr. Charles H. Parrish, informs us that several meetings have been held, -and that the Association already has a good number of members who operate from the surrounding counties, as well as from Montgomeryshire.
At a general meeting held in Welsh-. pool, recently, when Mr. J. E. Neale, of Newtown, occupied .the chair in the absence of Mr. Cross, a scale of.larea for excursions and tours and_coach contract work was unanimously adopted. Mr. Parrish outlined the requirements of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, and explained the service to members performed by the Association. The address of the Association is 5152, Broad Street, Newtown.
LICENCES FOR SOUTHERN
ROAD-RAIL EXCURSIONS. APPLICATIONS for permission to
run bus services in connection with rail excursions were made to the Western Traffic Commissioners by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd., Southern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., and Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., a few days ago.
Evidence was given on behalf of the London. Midland and Scottish Railway Co. as to the need for such facilities. and it was stated that the fares for the carriage of passengers to the terminal points would be governed by the Railway Rates Tribunal.
It was submitted that short-period licences would not be satisfactory to cover the operation of such special services, and that these would not be run if existing services were thought to be adequate.
The applications were granted, subject to certain conditions, including one that the service should be run only at the beginning and end of combined road and rail excursions, serving Lyme Regis, Seaton, Beer, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth. YORKSHIRE BLACKPOOL POOL SCHEME AGAIN CONSIDERED.
THE important co-ordination scheme, affecting eight concerns operating services from various points in Yorkshire to Blackpool, was again considered by the North-Western Traffic Commissioners on January 4.
The Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., Yorkshire (W.D.) Electric Tramways, Ltd., West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., Hebble Motor Services, Ltd., Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., Wood Brothers (Blackpool), Ltd., W. Armitage and Sons, Ltd., and Walker, Taylor and Sons, Ltd., have made 80 applications to the Yorkshire and North-Western Commissioners under the pooling scheme, which, as stated in our issues dated December 15 and 29, may save 100,000 vehicle-miles a year.
The railway companies, in opposing, maintained that these services would become stage-carriage services catering for intermediate points never before served, instead of express services engaged, as originally intended, in the transport of passengers from Yorkshire to Blackpool. It was further submitted that the scheme would cause wasteful competition. .
The Commissioners again deterred their decision, whilst the Yorkthire Commissioners have withheld their ruling on the primary applications.
M.T. APPLICATION ADJOURNED.
JUST too late for inclusion in last week's issue, it was announced that the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners had decided to adjourn until .the early part of February the application of the M.T. Co. (Motor -Coaches), Ltd., London, S.E., for permission to -pick up passengers between Birchington and Swanley on daily services from London to the Isle of Tlaanet.
The Bast Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., and Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., which were amongst the objectors, had not sufficient data available to answer certain submissions of the M.T. Co. and, as stated, the hearing was adjourned.
This case, has been thesubject of' several appeals by the applicant corn
pany, all of which have been dismissed. As we stated in last week's issue, unless the present application succeeds, the concern may have to cease brisiness. Until the picking-up points referred to were withdrawn the services were scheduled particularly with an eye to the travel requirements of persons between Birchington and Swaialey.
BY BUS TO THE HUNT.
A NEW source, of business has been ' discovered by several bus companies in Yorkshire, and it merits the consideration of operators in other parts of the country. Trips are being rim to meetings of the York and Ainsty and Bramham Moor Hunts.
The fare varies from 2s. to 4s., and the trips have become so popular that it has been necessary to duplicate vehicles. The persons who wish to follow the hounds on foot are picked up at a convenient point by the buses, which make detours with, the other passengers.
IttISH BUS INQUIRY?
T is stated that the Irish Bus Owners 'Association has requested the Minister for Industry and Commerce to hold an inquiry into the conduct of the Dublin United Tramways Co. in the operation of services under its licences. APPLICATIONS FOR LICENCE TRANSFERS IN TWO AREAS.
THE Metropolitan Traffic Commis
sioner has received applications from the Holtspur Coach Co., Ltd., Holtspur, Bucks, for the transfer of expressservice and excursion and tour licences previously granted to the Lewis Omnibus to., Ltd., and for the tranSfer of excursion and tour licences held by the Amersham and District Motor Bus and Haulage Co., Ltd. The East Midland Commissioners have received applications from the Lincoln Road Car Co., Ltd., Lincoln, for the transfer of a stage-carriage licence of Messrs. C. W. Grantham, and from the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., Derby, in respect of a stage licence of Messrs. G. D. Thomas.
United Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., is seeking from the same Commissioners a licence to continue a portion of the stage services of Messrs. M. E. Jelley, and the excursion and tour licences of Midland Motorways. The York Pullman Bus Co., Ltd., York, is ' seeking a backing granted to Messrs. R. Whitehead for' excursions and tours.
EASTERN FIRM PURCHASED.
IT is understood that the Eastern .
Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., Norwich, has acquired the bus undertaking of Messrs. Pointer Brothers, King's Lynn, who trade under the name of Bestway. Four routes are involved.
MAXIMUM FARE FOR LONDON NIGHT SERVICES REDUCED.
THE maximum fare chargeable on coach services from halls, in London, where public dances finish at 2 a.m. or after, has been reduced by the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner from 2s. fxl. to 2s. For the protection of taxicab owners, he has decided to adhere to the existing minimum fare of is. ed., except when the distaece is so short as to make this excessive.
Mr. Gleeson Robinson, the Commissioner, stated last week that some of the licence conditions in connection with these special services had been infringed, and warned operators that any repetition of the uoffence would result in the cancelling of the licences. MILITARY RAILWAY COMPETES WITH BUS SERVICES.
THE extraordinary case of the War Department operating as a public transport authority has occurred in Hampshire. The Aldershot and District Traction Co., Ltd., the Liss and District Omnibus Co. and the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association (the last-named on behalf of the Liss concern) have protested to the Secretary of State for War against the carriage of civilians, free of charge, on a military railway from Longmoor Camp to Liss Station.
The railway has apparently been laid for the purpose of. military training. but the companies cannot reconcile this with the fact that only 12 persons are employed in working the service. The railway has been operated in competition with the stage-carriage services and the times have coincided.
CARDIFF LIMITS NEW BILL.
CARDIFF Corporation has now decided to withdraw from its Parliamentary Bill the clauses relating to the -operation of trolleybuses outside the city boundaries. This modification has been made to meet the representations of the South Wales Motor Omnibus Proprietors Association.
Power to run outside the boundaries can, however, IL was stated, be
obtained by means of a Provisional Order from the Ministry of Transport.
The council hopes to arrive at -a friendly agreement with the Penarth Road toll owners as to the re-application in the Bill for compulsory powers of acquiring the toll rights.
TROLLEYBUS ORDER OPPOSED.
THE Parliamentary and general pur
poses committee of Sheffield Corporation has decided to lodge format objections against Rotherham Corporation (Trolley Vehicles) Provisional Order.
NEW GARAGE FOR S.M.T. CO.
MEW and commodious premises have
been erected at .Galashiels by the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd. The building, which accommodates 45 buses, is 214 ft. by 123 ft. and has two 4,000-gallon tanks for petrol.
" ANYWHERE " TICKETS FOR WEST YORKSHIRE CO.
THE. West Yorkshire Road Car Co.,
Ltd., has been granted permission by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners to issue daily " anywhere " tickets on the majority of its stage-carriage services at a fare of 4s. for an adult and 2s. for a child. Previously, the company issued these tickets over the whole of its area at 4s. 6d. daily. SOUTH WALES COMMISSIONERS SUSPEND LICENCES.
THE South Wales Commissioners, sit ting at Llanelly, suspended for a week the licences of Messrs. James Hughes and Sons and Messrs. Samuel Eynon and Sons, both of Trimsaran, after investigating complaints of farecutting by both firms. In the event of any further offence being proved the licences will be revoked.
Mr. A. T. James, K.C., chairman, said that over the past three years the Commissioners had had a great deal of trouble with both operators. He, personally, "had spent no end of time getting 'these operators to try to be reasonable."
The evidence showed that Messrs. Hughes had operated on the LlanellyCarmarthen route since 1917, and Messrs. Eynon since 1919, and witnesses testified to fare-cutting by both parties.
JOINT MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.
' IRIMNIIEAD Corporation's tram
ways committee has been asked by the town clerk of Wallasey to formulate proposals to be discussed with regard to transport facilities to and from Wallasey, together with proposals of Wallasey Corporation. A conference is being convened for the purpose.