RAILWAY BUS PLANS IN THE NORTH.
Page 71
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Some Important Aspects of the Activities of the London and North-Eastern Railway Co.
IN the .north country, where the London and North-Eastern Railway Co. is continuing its programme for the institution. of working arrangements with passenger-transport undertakings and the development, generally, of road surfaces of which it has either whole or Partial control, there has arisen an entirely new situation, and one which may lead to a Ministry of Transport inquiry.
This . position has been reached through the ree'usal of the West Hartlepool Corporation to come to an arrange. meat with the railway company. The circumstances leading up to the existing situation are that a short time ago the corporation was approached by the railway management with a view to scouting a working arrangement in re
spect the motorbus -route between West Hartlepool and. Port Clarence
(Middlesbrough). This route is extremely popular and remunerative, particularly in the summer season, because of the large volume of traffic which is carried to and from Seaton Carew.
Originally the Middleshro.ugh end West Hartlepool Corporations jointly worked the route, but about two years ago the first-named authority withdrew and concentrated upon in-town services. Since that time the West Hartlepool authority has maintained convenient services over the whole of the route.
As the result of an interview between representatives of the railway company and the transport committee of the West Hartlepool Corporation, members of the latter pointed out that they did not desire to change the existing method of operation. It was further mentioned that the corporation was providing an adequate service, and that evicts an attractive offer was made by the railway company the corporation would not be prepared to withdraw the service or to come to any arrangement with the company.
When these circumstances were reported to a recent meeting of the carPotation it was added that the railway representatives said the company was not prepared to remain quiescent in41c:finitely, as it was necessary for it to recapture some of the traffic which had been lost. After fully reviewing. the situation the corporation decided: against either selling the service outright or of entering into an arrangement for the joint operation of the service. At the same meeting it also turned down an applicatien by the London and NorthEastern Railway Co. for licences for 12 buses to work over the route.
In other areas in the north the railway company is actively pursuing its
programme. The most Important of the schemes now in hand, is that at Carlisle, where an ambitious plan aims at the establishment of both short. and long-distance services. Efforts are being made to obtain controlling interests in certain services, and in all the company's proposals affect, we are told, about 20 routes.
The London and North-Eastern Rail.way Co. is seeking the following licences from the watch committee of the Carlisle Corporation —Six for the Scotsby route, six for the Brampton route, additional licences for the Carlisle-Newcastle limited-stop route, and others for services to Keswick by alternative routes. It has already obtained permission to run a long-distance service to Edinburgh, but the other projects are being held up pending the decision of the watch committee, which is giving the proposals careful attention,
Other activities of the past week or two include the obtaining of licences from the watch committee of the Sunderland Corporation in respect of numerous routes between Sunderland and the more important of County Durham townships, also between Sunderland and Newcastle, and the granting of ten licences by the watch committee of the South Shields Corporation for railway-operated road services between South Shields and Newcastle.
The railway authorities have just withdrawn their branch-line service between Eaton and Middlesbrough, which bats proved unremunerative for a considerable period, and have arranged to provide in its place accelerated bus facilities for the convenience of local travellers..