Fares Wrong for 20 Years
Page 32
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AT a sitting of the Scottish Licensing Authority, last week, the right of the Western S.M.T. Co., Ltd., to benefit from a fares protection scheme published by the burgh of Ayr in 1932 was challenged. The company had applied for permission to re-route three services in Ayr, and the objectors, A.A. Motor Services, Ltd., claimed that the protective fare which had been imposed on long-distance services which overlapped local routes has been misapplied for 20 years.
After the Ayr tram services had been withdrawn, it was stated, an agreement _between the burgh of Ayr and Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., Edinburgh, had been concluded in favour of the S.M.T. buses. Other bus operators who picked up passengers on the local route operated by the S.M.T. would have to charge at least a penny more than the S.M.T. fares,
For A.A.' Motor Services, Ltd., it was stated that this was no protective fare at all, and had been imposed as a result of a gross mistake. Western S.M.T. had a separate legal identity from S.M.T., which was not now operating and was not involved in the application. Western S.M.T. had no protection and operators had been
suffering this injustice for almost 20 years.
For the Western S.M.T., it was stated that a complete reorganization of the nine Ayr services was planned. The Licensing Authority said that he would require to see the plan and adjourned the hearing.
I0s. INCREASE FOR BUILDERS' DRIVERS A S from March 5, the wage rates of transport workers in the building trade rose by 10s. per week. An agreement between the Transport and General Workers' Union and the National Federation of Building Trade Employers provided for 2s. per week for transport employees for each 1d. per hour adjustment in the building trade standard rate. This rate rose by 21d.
£26m. SPENT ON ROADS
I N the year ended March 31, 1950, over £9m. was spent out of the Road Fund on trunk roads, and nearly £16m. was paid out in grants to highway authorities. Provision and maintenance of vehicles and equipment for use by the police in enforcing the Road Traffic Act absorbed £310,169, whilst £28.387 was spent on research and experiments. Altogether. £25,896,458 was spent out of the Fund, against an estimated £27,779.000.
PERMITS RESTORED: M.P:S ACTION
OLLOWING a letter froxii Mr. Robert Booth by, M.P., to Lord! Hurcomb. chairman of the British Transport Commission, Messrs. Whyte's Motor Service and Messrs. James Reid and Son, two Peterhead hauliers, have had their original permits restored to enable them to run into Aberdeen