Bus briefs
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• Talks are taking place between the Northern General Transport Co Ltd, and local authorities led by Durham county council on the future of five loss-making bus routes serving Tow Law, Thornley, Houghton-le-Spring. Great Lumley and Chester-le-Street. The local authorities concerned are unwilling to contribute towards the upkeep of these services.
• Inspectors employed by Tyneside PTE. who are said to earn £1 to £2 less than some o-m-o bus drivers, are considering putting in a claim for a rise. Mr. Bernard MeArdle, TGWU regional organizer, said that the present position was causing a lot of discontent.
• At a meeting of Bradford transport committee last month, at which the accounts for the financial year ended March 31 1971, were presented, it was revealed that there was a net deficit of £206.291 on the city's buses. This figure was reduced to a deficit of £84,270 by the accumulated surplus of £122.02 I. The number of passengers carried dropped from the 101,191.000 of the previous year to 97.093.000 and there was a decrease a 1,300,000 in the total mileage run.
• Hartlepool Corporation transport committee is considering reviewing bus fares. The committee may decide to use +p in its fare scale for the benefit of school children and old people. As an alternative it may be decided to ignore fractions of a penny in working out half-fares.
• The report of a survey on the future of the North Tyne railway between Newcastle and Tynemouth is expected shortly. The survey is being carried out by Tyneside Passenger Transport Authority, British Railways, and the Department of the Environment. The line loses Lim annually. Proposals for its future include reduced rail operation; improved diesel unit operation; using the track for a light urban rapid transit system; or converting it into a busway.