THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
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NATIONAL PUBLICITY WEEK ABANDONED THROUGH APATHY.
I N last week's issue of The Commercial Motor, the National Road Passenger Transport Week, May 6-13, was omitted from the "Forthcoming Events" panel. We are now able to disclose, without breach of confidence, the reason for that deletion.
The event has been abandoned owing to the "almost entire lack of interest exhibited by both the larger companies and by independent operators, these latter mostly those who are not members of any trade organization," states Mr. F. A. Walker, secretary of the organizing committee. Little help could be obtained from the larger concerns, although one afforded assistance in organization and three railwayassociated companies subscribed to the funds.
Many small owners were personally canvassed, but they failed to subscribe the small sum of 5s. requested. Several organizations and certain individuals were making great headway, but the failure of the others negatived their efforts. The slogan competition which was inaugurated in connection with the Week has, however, been a complete success, and the chosen entry, " The Roads are Yours, Use Them ! " is being generally adopted.
The National Road Passenger Transport Week was planned by a committee of the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association.
200 NEW BUSES FOR LONDON: 150 OILERS.
LONDON TRANSPORT has placed with the Associated Equipment Co„ Ltd., an order for 200 STL-type Regent double-deck buses, of which 150 will be equipped with the A.E.C. six-cylindared compression-ignition engine.
This is the first time that oil engines have been applied to four-wheeled buses for the Board ; all the others now in service are in Renown six-wheeled chassis. When these new vehicles are on the road, the total of oil-engine -I vehicles will be nearly 500. The Board's fleet will then amount to some 5,253 vehicles.
" ANYWHE R E " TICKETS R EFUSED : RIBBLE CO. APPEALS. AN appeal by Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., against the refusal of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners to authorize the issue of weekly unlimitedtravel tickets costing 15s. was heard
last week. • Counsel for the company explained that such tickets Were introduced by that company in 1927 and were already authorized in the Northern Area. Moreover, the company had, for some years, been issuing " anywhere " tickets, costing 32s., in the Yorkshire Area, whilst the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., was permitted to issue daily unlimited-travel tickets at 4s. and similar weekly tickets at 25s It was asserted that when in 1931, the railways introduced 10s. weekly unlimited-travel tickets, the Ribble company's profits dropped by .7d. per bus-mile. On behalf of certain coach operators it was submitted that the proposed facility of the Ribble concern was unnecessary.
COUNTY CO. SELLS ROUTE.
WE understand that Trimdon Motor Services, Ltd., has, with the Traffic Commissioners' approval, taken over the service operated by County Motor Services, Ltd., between Ferryhill Station and Elvet, Durham.
EASTBOURNE NOT TO SELL.
THE motorbus committee of Eastbourne Corporation was recently asked to consider selling or letting the bus undertaking. Four members voted for the motion and four against, so the proposal was not carried..
OPPOSED APPLICATIONS HEARD AT COMMISSIONERS' OFFICES.
ANUMBER of opposed applications for licences was heard by the North Western Traffic Commissioners, at their offices, on Monday last. This procedure is understood to have been experimental, because hitherto only unopposed applications have been heard at the CommissiOners' offices. Most of the objections were by Manchester and Blackpool Corporations, concerning traffic, regulations.
BOOTLE NEGOTIATIONS HELD UP.
AT a conference, last January, between rhpresentatives of Liverpool, Bootle and Litherland Councils and Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., with regard to the reorganization of the local bus services, it was arranged that Liverpool Corporation would put forward certain proposals in writing for the consideration of the Bootle representatives.
No word has, according to Bootle town clerk, been received from Liverpool Corporation, and Bootle Transport Committee is to take no action until Liverpool's proposals are received.
WELL-KNOWN NORTHERN OPERATOR DEAD.
IN his 43rd year, Mr. W. J. Lake, who left Liverpool about 1931 to take over the general managership of a Leeds coach and haulage concern, after having been manager of the Merseyside Touring Co. for three years, died last week.
Mr. Lake laid the foundations of the success of the Merseyside Touring Co., which in 2} years built up a. fleet of over 90 passenger vehicles. He entered the haulage business in 1911, and in 1923 opened and managed the Leeds depot of Garlick, Burrell and Edwards. Ltd. The Merseyside concern was taken over by Ribble Motor Services, Ltd. LONDON INDEPENDENT'S GARAGE: AWARD BY TRIBUNAL.
r-IN Tuesday last, the London Pas
senger Transport Arbitration Tribunal gave its award in connection with the claim of the Robert Hawkins Omnibus Co., against the London Passenger Transport Board. The case was one of those in which independent operators claimed that the Board should take over their garages, although the the Board contended that the garages were in the names of individuals and were not property of the companies.
Mr. Joshua Scholefield, K.C., chairman, said that Mr. Robert Hawkins converted his business into a private company in 1927, Mr. Hawkins being managing director. In 1929, a new garage was acquired, Mr. Hawkins paying a deposit of £600 out of the company's money• and obtaining a loan from a bank for the remaining 22,600 required. The bank refused to lend the money to the company, but agreed to lend it to Mr. Hawkins personally, so long as the bank was given a mortgage on the premises.
Mr. Scholefield thought that Mr. IIawkins purchased the premises as an agent for the company, although he personally was liable. The chairman found that the whole of the premises were the property of the company, and a suitable award has been framed.
IS A TROLLEYBUS A STAGE CARRIAGE?
A N interesting point concerning trolleybuses was -raised before the Ilkeston magistrates when the conductor of a trolleybus was summoned for permitting overloading.
Counsel for the Notts and Derbyshire Traction Co. said that a trolleybus was not a stage carriage within the meaning of the Stage 'Carriage Act, 1832. He argued that a trolleybus was operated under the Tramways Act and was specifically excluded from the Stage Carriage Act. The magistrates adjourned the case for three weeks.
"UNITED COUNTIES" TO MOVE TO NORTHAMPTON.
THE United Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., will shortly establish its headquarters in Northampton, instead of Irthlingborough, where the head office and works are at present situated. A modern station, including waiting rooms and a restaurant, and a garage to accommodate about 100 buses are to be erected near the centre of Northampton in Derngate.
Northampton is now the main centre of operation, for the majority of the long-distance services taken over from Messrs. Allchin and Son radiate from Northampton, and a great number of stage services runs from the town.
in view of the plans of the "United Counties," the chief constable of Northampton recommended the watch committee to defer consideration bi a bus station proposed in Bridge Street. FAILING OF NEW BILL; M.H.C.S.A. WARNING TO MINISTER.
STRONG comments on the failure of "Jibe Minister of Transport to include in the new Road Traffic Bill a clause amending the contract-carriage section of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, are contained in a statement issued by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association. Other observations of the Association on the new Bill are referred to on page 306.
"In London, unless the Minister of Transport introduces some clause in the new measure to deal with the matter, there is likely to be open rebellion on the part of motor-coach proprietors," states the circular.
"The whole difficulty has arisen through a decision in the High Court, when an interpretation was put upon certain words in the existent 1930 Act, that made 90 per cent, of private-hire work illegal."
The circular points out that the licensing of private-party work would make it practically impossible for such trips to be arranged. It continues: "When the London Passenger Transport Board was given a monopoly in its area, there was recognition of the right of private undertakings to continue this private-party work in the Board's area. The Act allowed the use of contract carriages as they are described in the statutes. "The Court decision since that Act brings this form of operation under another classification and before private parties can be carried to destinations in the Board's area, the consent of London Transport has to be obtained."
YORKSHIRE COMMISSIONERS GRANT "CONTRACT" LICENCES.
T"Egranting of a number of appli
cations for pre booked -party licences under the Schedule 2A system is announced in Gazette 152 of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners. The licences have been granted to Wilson Haigh, Ltd., Holmfirth, near Huddersfield ; J. Hanson and Son, Ltd., Milnsbridge, Huddersfield; Messrs. 1,ebbon and Yates, IIarrogate, and a number of other undertakings.
BLACKPOOL FAVOURS CENTRAL ENTRANCES.
ANUMBER of new buses is, it is stated, to be purchased by Blackpool Corporation. As a result of a report by Mr. W. Luff, transport manager, the council has decided in favour of central entrances, which, Mr. Luff states, facilitates loading and unloading and are the most modern
practice. Rear-entrance vehicles are, he says, now out of date. The new buses are to be equipped with sliding doors. EFFORT TO CURTAIL MINISTER'S POWERS?
" IT is believed that an opportunity will be taken by certain Members of Parliament, during the passage of the new Road Traffic Bill through the House, to introduce a clause that will limit the bureaucratic powers generally exercised by all Government departments."
This remark opens a statement issued by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association and continues: "Under the existent Road Traffic Act, 1930, persons dissatisfied with the decisions of the Traffic Commissioners . . cal,' appeal to the Minister of Transport, who, incidentally, has appointed them and who has, on occasion, directed them as to the performance of their duties."
The circular points out that, so long as the Minister observes the law, "he is not bound by the statute to act in a judicial manner, and he can ignore the question of justice as between parties. There are manyindications, so it is alleged by coach and bus operators throughout the country, that the Minister, in giving his decisions on these appeals, is using his power so to order transport in Great Britain as is, for the moment, the policy of his de
partment. If this be so, then it is time that Parliament restricted the powers it gave the Minister in 1930."