More Fare Increases Granted in the North and in Scotland
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THIRTEEN Scottish bus operators I were last week granted fare increases by the Scottish Traffic Commissioners to bring their schedules into line with those of the big companies. The only opposition came from Dunbarton County Council, who said theirs was a formal objection.
To this, Mr. W. F. Quin, chairman, pointed out that approval of the operators' proposals was not a formality. If sufficient grounds could be found against the increases, or if the data supplied by the operators was considered insufficient, the Commissioners would refuse the application, despite the normal policy of bringing fares into line wherever possible.
The operators granted increases were McGill's Bus Service, Ltd.; Paton Bros.. Ltd.; Rothesay Motor Services; John Carmichael; A.A. Motor Services, Ltd.; Ayrshire Bus Owners (Al Service), Ltd.; Clyde Coast Services, Ltd.; Cunningham's Bus Services, Ltd.; Graham's Bus Service; Isaac Hutchinson; Peter Irvine and Sons: J. Laurie and Co.; and J. and J. Leith.
Glasgow Proposals
Glasgow Corporation are to seek increases to meet an estimated deficit of 013,000 on the current year's working. It is proposed to merge the motorbus, trolleybus and tram fares into one scale. with a minimum of 3d. and a maximum of 10d. Fares on the underground system will also go up.
If the application is granted by the Scottish Commissioners, the biggest blow will fall on tram and trolleybus passengers, for the present maximum fare of 6d. will be replaced by charges of 8d., 9d. and 10d. On all services the existing 4d. and 6d. fares will be abolished.
Weekly season tickets costing 10s. for 24 journeys will be replaced by 8s. I2-journey tickets, but the concessionary fare of Id. for old age pensioners will be retained and so will half fares for juveniles.
General Manager's Scheme
It is understood that proposals submitted by the general manager, Mr. E. R. L. Fitzpayne—a maximum fare of Is. on motorbuses, the complete abolition of season tickets, and the doubling of pensioners' fares—were rejected by the majority Labour group. although Cllr. P. Meld rum, the group's leader, said they still had every confidence in him and the transport committee.
The proposed increases would yield about E700,000, but Labour's opposition on the council claim that they will result in serious traffic losses.
Increases aimed at securing an extra £24,000 a year were outlined to the Yorkshire Commissioners by East Yorkshire Motor Services, Ltd., but they faced objections from 10 local authorities. The company proposed to increase contract ticket rates by 12+ per cent., to add not more a32 than Id. to fares up to Is., and not more than 2d. to those up to 2s.
Mr. C. R. Wreathall, general manager, forecast that if there were another wage increase, added to the £3,000 extra cost of fuel which had just been thrust on them, another application would have to be made. The company did not want to lose the contract ticket holder, but they just could not afford to carry him.
Mr. Wreathall added that shareholders had not received a penny for 18 months, and if the application were refused East Yorkshire would have seriously to consider other steps.
After hearing objectors, the Commissioners reserved their decision on the application.
Last Concession Goes
The final concessionary fare on trolleybuses operated by the Teesside Railless Traction Board has disappeared. That is one of the results of an "extremely modest" application which the Board successfully put before the Northern Commissioners.
Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, chairman, said the Commissioners were as reluctant to make a grant as the Board obviously were to seek increases, but it was right that crews and staff should be paid proper wages and have good working conditions. This, however, meant higher costs, so the Commissioners had no hesitation in granting the application.
The Northern Commissioners have also agreed to the withdrawal of three services operated by Baldwin and Barlow, Ltd.. Tom Law and Co., and Mr_ 0. S. Gibson. all of the Durham area. They had been told that the services were losing about Is. a mile, and if they were kept up the operators would probably go out of business.
TOURS WITHIN TOURS BY COACH DRIVER
WAILE he was employed by Wallace rnold Tours, Ltd., a coach driver. Stanley Harrison Walsh, introduced private tours of his own into eight-day tours to London, Windsor and Bournemouth. He admitted at Leeds, last week, that he had omitted particulars from his work ticket, with intent to defraud. regarding tours round London Airport and trips from Bournemouth to Southampton to see an ice show.
Walsh had charged 8s. for the Southampton trip and 6s. for the visit to London Airport. He had paid for the fuel himself and, in addition, paid fl to the airport authorities. 10s. to the airport foreman and 30s. to a guide. It was alleged that Walsh's takings might have been about £150, but he had since given Wallace Arnold £103 in full settlement.
Fining Walsh a total of £25, the Leeds Stipendiary said he was impressed by the fact that the man had repaid most of the money.