LATEST NEWS FROM THE TRAFFIC AREAS
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POOR RESPONSE TO CALL FOR STRIKE OF U.A.S. EMPLOYEES.
A DISPUTE has arisen in certain
northern depots of United Automobile Services, Ltd., respecting the schedules drawn up by the company. It is complained by the employees that these result in the working day being spread over a considerable period in excess of the actual working hours, with breaks between periods of duty, for which payment is not received.
A strike was, last week, declared at the Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Middlesbrough, Richmond and Durham City depots, but only about 25 per cent. of the men left work. The company then Invited applications from unemployed bus drivers and conductors to fill the vacancies, and this met with a big response.
POTTERIES COUPON FARES TO BE ABOLISHED?
THE question of abolishing coupon tickets absorbed a whole day at the sitting of the West Midland Traffic Commissioners, at Hanley, last week.
Mr. J. Lindsay Wood, traffic manager of the Potteries Electric Traction Co., Ltd., opened the case for the operators concerned, and he was supported by Mr. W. H. Abberley, for the North Staffordshire Bus Proprietors Association.
Mr. Lindsay Wood said that it was proposed to introduce, instead of the existing coupon fares, workmen's fares 1338 which would be available up to 9 a.m. On the main route workmen's return fares would not be greater than double the coupon single rate, there actually being 25 decreases in fares for workmen. Ordinary return charges would not be more than id. in excess of the previous coupon return rates.
Opposition was entered by Stoke-on Trent Corporation. Alderman Sir F. Hayward, vice-chairman of the finance committee of the city council, had no hesitation in saying that the corporation would be prepared to operate buses, under the coupon system, without any increase in fares. CONTROVERSY ON NORWICH TRAMWAYS PURCHASE. CONTROVERSY rages in Norwich concerning the proposal of the corporation to purchase the Norwich Electric Tramways Co., which operates a bus fleet, for £175,000. It has been stated that Thomas Tilling, Ltd., approached the municipality and asked whether it would share in the purchase of the undertaking, and it appears that the suggestion of the acquisition was not from the Norwich concern.
A public poll held last Tuesday revealed a majority of over 3,000 against the purchase.
ANOTHER GREEN LINE APPEAL. ANOTHER appeal by Green Line
Coaches, Ltd., was beard in London, last Tuesday, in this case against a decision of the South-Eastern 'Traffic Commissioners drastically reducing the company's London-Sevenoaks service.
MANCHESTER REFUSED HIGHER FARES. MANCHESTER Corporation's application to the North-Western Traffic Commissioners for permission to reduce the length of its bus-fare stages has been refused. This is, of course, equivalent to an increase in fares, and the Commissioners see no reason for such action. It is believed that the corporation may make a modified application for revised fares. WHAT IS A LONG-DISTANCE SERVICE?
WE are informed that the East Mid land Traffic Commissioners have ordered that protection shall be given to certain operators on the route from Ashby to Scunthorpe, a distance of three miles.
The Commissioners have stated that they must attach a condition, to this effect, to the licences of all long-distance operators on the route, but they have inchided an operator who works a circular 10-mile stage-carriage service, which takes in the Ashby-Scunthorpe route. This raises new doubts as to the definition of a long-distance service.
PAST YEAR REVIEWED.
THE annual general meeting of the Omnibus Society was held in London, last Friday. Mr. C. E. Lee was elected chairman, Mr. W. H. Jackson, MA., hon. treasurer ; and Mr. C. F. mapper, hon. secretary. The following were elected members of the council:— Messrs. A. G. Partridge, E. Melville Upton, H. Watson, Cl. Smart, A. Regnauld, B.Sc., W. S. Hazelden, J. K. Taylor, J. M. Nicholson and N. Bu rchill.
In a review of the past year, the chairman, Mr. C. E. Lee, referred to the consolidation of the passengertransport companies, joint working between companies and municipalities, the substitution of buses for trams, the London Passenger Transport Bill and the use of alternative fuels in buses.
A GROWING ASSOCIATION.
IT was reported at the first annual general meeting, at Truro, of the Cornwall Coach and Motor Users Association, that the membership now numbered 60 and was increasing. Mr. A. Richards presided.
NEW FARES FOR CHILDREN?
WE understand that the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners propose to consider, at their sitting at Leeds on January 24, variations in fares for children.
It is recommended that children under three years of age should be carried free of charge. Children over three, but under 14, years of age will he charged two-thirds of the single adult fare, with seats guaranteed on express coaches. On stage carriages the fare will be half the single adult rate.
HEREFORD STATION POSITION.
THE Hereford authority has been in formed that the Ministry of Health has no power to entertain the cpuneil's application for a provisional Order, so far as it related to the leasing of the portion of the old prison site to be converted into a bus station.
The roads committee is continuing its negotiations with Red and White Services, Ltd., with a view to that company managing or being given a licence of the station, and paying to the corporation the sums that would have been paid had it been leased to the company.
OPPOSING TROLLEY-BUS ORDERS.
SO far as the proposal relates to the
borough, Ilkeston Corporation is opposing the application of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Traction Co. for a provisional Order to authorize certain new routes, including one along the east and south sides of the Market Place at Ilkeston.
MORE AGREED FARES.
GAZETTE 86 of the Southern Traffic Commissioners contains a schedule of amended proposed standard fares for tours starting from Banbury and district and Oxford and district, GREEN LINE APPEALS: S.R. OBJECTS.
LAST Monday, CoL C. H. Tollerton
heard at the Ministry of Transport, London, an appeal by Green Line Coaches, Ltd., against a decision of the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners in respect of a London-Woking service.
It appears that the company wished to operate to Woking and Chertsey, running a half-hourly service to each. The whole matter was discussed at considerable length before the Metropolitan Commissioner, who decided that there should be a half-hourly service to Weybridge, thereafter the service being diverted so that there was an hourly headway to Chertsey and Woking. Thus, the Metropolitan Commissioner ordered a diversion in the South Eastern Area.
When asked for a backing, the South Eastern Commissioners decided that there was justification for the service only as far as West Byfleet. On behalf of Green Line Coaches, Ltd., it was submitted, at the hearing of the appeal, that if the service was necessary to such a small place as Byfieet, there must be need for its continuance for a further two miles to Woking, a town of 30,000 population.
The Green 'Line appeal was opposed on behalf of the Southern Railway Co., the representative of which suggested that the Metropolitan Commissioner had exceeded his functions.
JOINT SERVICE AGREEMENT. THE transport committee. of Cardiff Corporation has agreed upon terms for the joint operation of the CardiffPenarth service by the corporation, the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd., and Thomas White and Co. (Cardiff and Barry), Ltd.
GREYHOUND SERVICES APPEAL. AN appeal against the refusal of the
Southern Traffic Commissioners to license services from Poole to Christchurch and the • Greyhound Racing Track is being lodged by Symes and Sons, Ltd. The licence application was opposed by Bournemouth Corporation.
AGAINST SALTER REPORT. THE transport-committee of Plymouth Corporation has asked the three Members of Parliament for thtlbcity to oppose any attempt to introduce the recommendations in the Salter Report in their present form, particularly with respect to the implications relative to passenger transport. WESTMINSTER COMPANY WINS A CONTRACT CARRIAGE CASE.
ANOTHER contract-carriage Case was
heard, last week, at Aldershot Police Court, when Westminster Coaching Services, Ltd., London, and Mr. J. P. Binnie, a booking agent, of Aldershot, were summoned in connection with the operation of seven coaches without roadservice licences. It was stated that Binnie booked the Westminster coaches for the First Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, to take soldiers and their wives to Suffolk and Norfolk for the Christmas furlough.
The magistrate upheld the Westminster company's defence that this was contract-carriage work, and agreed to Efate a case.
BRIGHTON MERGER: TOWN COUNCIL ASKED TO RESIGN.
IN Brighton, there is a certain ele ment of opposition to the proposed merger of Brighton Corporation's transport undertaking with that of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., and a body, known as the Brighton Anti-merger Committee, is taking action in the matter.
This committee has called upon Brighton Town Council to resign and to seek re-election on the issue of the merger. It is held that the project will cause unemployment and will result in increased fares. The committee maintains that the only solution of the problem is to borrow £350,000 and to buy outright the undertaking of Thomas Tilling, Ltd.
passenger-train service on the Limavady-Dung-iven branch of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in Ireland, was suspended last week, and was replaced by a bus service.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN ON OCCASIONAL SERVICES.
S°mE comments on occasional ser vices to seaside resorts were made by Mr. W. Chamberlain, chairman of the North-Western Traffic Commissioners, when Creams (Lancashire), Ltd., Rochdale, applied for a backing for a Bradford-Llandudno service.
He said that the Commissioners were concerned as th whether it was desirable that the excellent all-the-yearround railway service should be submitted to competition just when an operator chose, and that they had to make sure that the cream of the traffic was not skimmed by occasional services.
BRISTOL OPERATORS MEET.
THE annual general meeting of the Bristol and West of England Coach Owners' Association was recently held at Bristol, and was followed by an ordinary meeting.
At the annual event, the president,
Lord Apsley, D.S.O., M.C., was re-elected president, whilst Messrs. D. W. Gunston, M.C., M.P.; N. K. Lindsay, M.P.; R. Bernays and C. CuIverwell, M.P., were elected vice-presidents. Mr. C. W. Jordan was reelectecli chairman, Mr. A. Thompson being elected vice-chairman.
At the ordinary meeting, the chairman emphasized the need for making proper applications for excursion and tour licences. It was decided that a deputation should wait upon the Bristol B40 Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., with a view to altering the fares for long day tours, which are high as compared with those charged by the railways.
The subscription to this Association is now £1 is. per member and 5s. per coach, up to a maximum of £5 5s.
GREYHOUND AND MORNING STAR: TEMPORARY LICENCE.
THE Metropolitan Traffic Commis sioner has granted a special shortperiod licence to Greyhound Motors, Ltd., Bristol. to enable it to come to terms with the liquidator of E. Jones and Sons, Ltd. As we announced in last week's issue, the Greyhound concern has acquired the Morning Star long-distance organization of E. Jones and Sons, Ltd.
MIDDLESBROUGH BILL PETITION.
STOCKTON Corporation is to petition against that part of Middlesbrough Corporation's Bill which seeks power to run trolley-buses through Stockton. The latter municipality is not clear in its mind as to lirliddlesbrough's objects In seeking power.
NEW GRANTHAM BUS STATION.
A NEW bus station was opened,
last week, at Grantham. It forms part of a park for private cars and lorries, the area of which is nearly 6,000 sq. yds. The bus station has four loading platforms, with waiting rooms and other offices. The cost of the project was approximately £7,400.
300 NEW BIL:SES FOR PARIS.
PARIS Municipal Council decided, this week, to purchase 300 new buses to replace trams. Efforts are being made completely to substitute buses for trams within the next five years.
EASTBOURNE APPEALS.
EASTBOURNE Corporation is appealing against the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners' refusal to license a municipal bus service to the top of
Bottehy Head. As reported in The Commercial Motor at the time, the application of Southdown Motor Services, Ltd., to continue its existing service was granted.
L.M.S. AND "MIDLAND RED" INTER-AVAILABLE TICKETS.
EXPERIMENTALLY, the Birming ham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co., are issuing inferavailable road-rail tickets on services from Leicester to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Hinckley, Birmingham, Broughton Astley and Grantham.
FIFTH AMENDMENT TO P.S.V. REGULATION.
THE Minister of Transport has issued the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness) (Amendment) (No. 5) Provisional Regulations, 1932, dated December 13 last. Under these rules, Regulation 2 of the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness) Provisional Regulations, 1931, shall have effect as (i) from paragraph (i) thereof, Regulations 10, 12 and 13 were omitted, and (ii) the following paragraphs were added :— " (v) Regulations Nos. 10, 12 and 13 shall not apply to vehicles registered under the Roads Act, 1920, on or before December 1, 1932. (vi) Regulation No. 10 and paragraphs (b) and (c) of Regulations No. 13 shall not apply to any double-deck vehicle which complies with the requirements laid down in the first paragraph of Regulation No. 7 hereof."
RAILWAY ARGUMENT FAILS.
THE Metropolitan Traffic Commis sioner has granted a licence to the Mayfair Transport Co., to operate from London to Brighton, despite strong opposition from the Southern Railway Co. The railway company used as a lever its newly opened electrified line to the south coast.
Mr. Gleeson Robinson, the Commissioner, said he had in mind the Southern Railway Co.'s activities. In connection with an argument by the railway company's counsel, Mr. Robinson said the fact that a receiver was in possession of the Mayfair Transport Co. and was endeavouring to re-establish it, was no reason for refusing a licence. The company had always operated to Brighton, and there appeared to be no reason now for preventing it from continuing to do so.