THE COMMISSIONERS REV NV PASSENGER TRANSPORT
Page 48
Page 49
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
AFTER some delay, the Third Annual Reports of the Traffic Commissioners, 1933-1934, for the year ended March 31 last, have been published by I-1.M. Stationery Office at 2s. 6d. As in previous years, the reports provide valuable statistical and other information, and the foreword affords an insight into the position of the road-passenger-transport industry as a whole.
Of the 786 appeals outstanding at March 31, 1933, 73 were subsequently withdrawn. During the year ended March 31 last, 881 valid appeals were made, 100 being against the refusal of licences, 309 against the grant of licences, 385 against conditions, 85 against variation of conditions, one against the suspension of licences, and one against the revocation of licences.
The Minister reversed or modified the Commissioners' decisions in 685 cases, and upheld the Commissioners' rulings in 365 appeals. Of the 786 appeals outstanding at March 31, 1933, about 540 were against decisions of the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner in conection with the'use of Central London and thelimitation of picking-up points.
Without departing from the main principles on which the Metropolitan Commissioner had based his decisions, the Minister made Orders on the Commissioner in 572 appeals, whilst in 106 cases no Order was made. Of the 414 appeals Outstanding at March 31 last, about 100 related to the licensing of pre-booked-party work in the Yorkshire Area.
Pointers from the Northern Commissioners.
During the year, 62 new 20-seater vehicles were introduced into the Northern Arca, this being the most popular size of new machine. Larger double-deckers were put into service, whilst there was a noticeable tendency to increase the seating capacity of the bigger types of singledecker. Improvement in maintenance is shown by the fact that, whereas in the year ended March 31, 1933, 194 publicservice-vehicle licences had to be suspended on the ground of public safety, the corresponding figure for the year under review was 125. The number of off-engined vehicles in the area was 38, as compared with 24 a year earlier.
The number of objections lodged by other operators and local authorities showed a certain diminution.
The number of applications for variation of conditions increased by about 200 to approximately 950 in the year under review, and the Commissioners consider that such applications could be much reduced by the exercise of a little forethought on the part of operators. Reports of breaches of conditions have, however, been fewer. The number of operators was reduced by 41 to 379. .
Referring with satisfaction to the growing tendency towards joint working agreements between municipal and other operators, the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners view the increasing popularity of the trolleybus from a new angle. The Commissioners have, of course, no control over this type of vehicle, the introduction of which, they state, appears to be militating against the growth of the co ordination schemes, and they remark, "we consider that the time is not far distant, if, in fact, it has not now arrived, when trolleybuses will need to be controlled in the same way as public service vehicles."
Iii the Yorkshire Area there were, in the year under review, two operators owning between 200 and 499 vehicles, their combined fleets numbering 642 machines. Altogether, there were 556 operators holding licences in respect of 3,901 vehicles (623 and 3,930 respectively in 1932).
Licensing Pre-booked-party Work.
A lengthy reference is made to the Commissioners' action in licensing pre-booked-party work. Applications from 11 large operators, including corporations, were received and granted for the operation of road services in conjunction with railway excursions. The latest form of co-ordination in the area is between road and air services.
The majority of the applications relating to fares involved reductions, particularly with regard to long-distance services, and the Commissioners " had to give careful consideration to such proposals, having regard to the possible effect of their introduction on railway traffic." It is interesting to compare this statement with one made by the East Midland Traffic Commissioners. The Commissioners think that they are approaching the limit so far as reductions of services are concerned, "and it is not improbable that, if trade continues to improve, additional services may be necessary."
In the North-Western Area, the large operators decreased from five to four, municipal authorities were fewer by two, whilst there were 102 fewer smaller operators. The number of oilers increased during the year from 120 to 323.
The Commissioners note a tendency towards a reduction in fares and, in many instances, the operators affected have reached agreements, or are now in process of negotiating agreements, for the removal of protective fares. The Commissioners remark that the question of fixing picking-up points is "bristling with difficulties." It has been necessary to revert to the procedure of allowing period-return passengers to be carried on excursions and tours.
The report of the West Midland Commissioners shows that the largest operator in the area is the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., the fleet of which increased from 787 vehicles in 1933 to 846 vehicles this year, the total for the area having risen from 3,101 to 3,184. A surprising feature is an increase in the number of operators of one and two vehicles.
" The Commissioners' have dealt with a few applications for licences to cover this type ot work (private hire) lodged by operators who were not content to. continue to break the law, but the tendency of the larger companies has been to take the risk of detection and to oppose the grant of licences to independent operators."
The report continues: "Some operators of stage services -and particularly one large operator-now seem to regard the renewal of licences as a mere incident. There appears to be no attempt on their part to review the service annually and to include modifications in their applications for re
newal of the licence 73
Despite the. fears that the 1930 Act would mean stagnation in the industry, remark the East Midland Commissioners, on every working day in the year an average of two applications for new services was received, and 186 new primary licences and 369 new backings were granted. •
It is informative to compare the Yorkshire Commissioners' statement with the remark of the East Midland Commissioners that "it is quite evident that operators of long-distance services are being adversely affected by the issue of the railway companies' summer tickets throughout the year."
Better Maintenance in the Eastern Area.
The Commissioners' report shows that, in the Eastern Area, there are 2,041 public-service vehicles, of which 1,032 have 27 or more sea,fs. Although the general standard of maintenance has improved, there is room for improvement in the case of some small operators.
Accorain to the South Wales Commissioners' report, no appeal was lodged against the refusal of a public-servicevehicle licence or a Certificate of Fitness, or against the revc.cation or suspension of a public-service vehicle licence. The largest, concern in the area owned 228 vehicles, whilst 51 operators owned 60 cars with fewer than eight seats, which were used as public service vehicles.
During the year the number of oilers in the Western Area has increased from one to 40. Out of a total of 3,851 vehicles owned by 751 operators, there were two concerns possessing 400 ot more machines. In certain rural areas efforts are, the Commissioners state, being made to secure less competition amongst excursion and tour operators, who, in some instances, have agreed to compile monthly programmes and to provi le that not more than one operator shall run any excursion on the same day.
The report of the Southern Commissioners is brief and refers particularly to the licensing of pre-booked-party work. "Although a large rural area has been added . . . the proportion of single-vehicle owners has slightly decreased," state the South-Eastern Commissioners, who also refer to the work of the Regional Fares Committees. The number of applications for permission to run services on unforeseen occasions, for the dispensation of conditions in emergencies and the variation of conditions was increasing. The Commissioner for the Metropolitan Area, which has
been increased from about 700 sq. miles to approximately 2,400 sq. miles, opens his report with a review of the provisions of the London Passenger Transport Act, 1933, and .points out that the area of the Board comprises nearly 2,000 sq. miles, with a population of over 9,000,000 persons.
The Commissioner for the Metropolitan Area, which has a time tit great difficulty for the motor-coach industry," which " can undoubtedly claim many passengers who were created by the existence of road transport." There were about 8,130 public service vehicles in the Metropolitan Area, as well as 2,475 trams and 60 trolleybuses. The Board owned 5,870 buses. whilst 472 independent operators had a total of 2,260 machines.
The publication includes a report by the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis.
Many Bids to Vary Conditions.
The Northern Scotland Commissioners state that, during the year ended March 31 last, the number of applications for the variation of conditions was nearly doubled, and there is not much likelihood of a reduction in the near future.
The Commissioners refer its the lack of understanding of the Regulations and Conditions of Fitness on the part of many local garage proprietors and motor repairers. There were in the area 204 public service vehicles with fewer than eight seats, and the Commissioners have observed, not without misgiving, the growing practice of reducing the seating capacity below this limit in order to circumvent the Certificate of Fitness rules. During the year the number of oilers increased from three to 72.
A surprising fact emerges from the report of the Southern Scotland Commissioners, namely, that in March last, approximately one-third of the total number of conductors were women In December, 1932, there were only five oilers in the area, hut in March last this figure had grown to 449 and orders had been placed for a further 236. The Commissioners comment on the practice of some operators of making petty complaints against competitors.
An interesting appendix to the reports shows the relation between municipal and non-municipal services, including the London Passenger Transport Board. In 1933 the buses of local authorities carried 1,265,915,626 passengers, whilst other operators carrie 1 4,152,358,381 passengers. The receipts from passengers, parcels, etc., amount to £9,470,949 in the case of municipal services and £48,764,450 for other operators, the total revenue of £58,235,399 comparing with 458,516,260 in 1932 and 458,702,846 in 1931.