SELNEC performance a miracle?
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by Gordon Crabtree
• Although the South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive completed its first 14 months of operation with an actual deficit of £111,000, its financial performance might be regarded as somewhat of a miracle when consideration is taken of the threatened loss of more than £3m it faced on its inception in 1970.
This is revealed by a close study of the first financial report published this month (a loss of £179,000 for the 14-month period was reported in CM on March 26).
The accumulated losses of the municipal bus undertakings transferred to SELNEC PTE amounted to £118,000 in 1967/68 and £519,000 in 1968 /69. Therefore the deficit of £111,000 is remarkable when considered against the background of a £24m turnover, and the soaring • costs and technical problems of running a passenger transport fleet of no fewer than 2,500 vehicles.
The report makes interesting reading, and the Executive admits that it was subject during the period to bitter and uninformed comment. The PTE did not set about its task by rushing intd massive fare increases, although there have been some rises, but by reducing the number of white collar staff and improving all-round efficiency.
It is now planning to introduce new mechanical ideas in an effort to provide entirely adequate services at all times while keeping down the costs by reducing repair and breakdown charges.
During 1970 SELNEC PTE increased the reliability of its bus services in the northern and southern divisions so that the loss of journeys was reduced to less than one-fifth of that obtaining before the PTE was formed.
In its first 14 months it also: O Introduced concessionary fares for pensioners covering the whole PT Area.
12 Commenced the replanning of road-rail passenger transport for the future by developing new approaches to bus services and better rail services.
O Though faced with the need for raising fares during 1970, kept that increase down to only half that imposed by comparable operators.