PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
CO-ORDINATING ROAD PASSENGER SERVICES.
The Discussion of a Scheme Laid Before Tramways Managers which is to be Considered in Detail Before Disclosure.
THE further proceedings of the conference at the Municipal Tramways and Transport Association at Cardiff on September 7th, 8th and 9th included the discussion on " The Co-ordination of Road Passenger Conveyance Services," at the request of the Association Council, which was introduced by Mr. A. R. Fearnley, general manager of the Sheffield Corporation Tramways. The discussion was conducted in private. A scheme of co-ordination was definitely decided upon, although details are as yet undecided. These, it is understood, will be discussed at a special convention of delegates to be held later in London, The official report of this private discussion was as follows :—" There has been a very frank discussion on the proposal to co-ordinate road Passenger conve.v ance services, in which representatives from all parts of the country took part. There was a unanimous concurrence that the proposal of the minoil agreeing to the principle of coordinated services shonld be adopted. Details at the scheme are to be referred and to be submitted at a special meeting of the association to be called for the purpose. The scheme excludes all, the authorities within the Metropolitan area for the reason that they are covered by the London Traffic Act, 1924."
The council has been instructed to approach the joint railway authorities which are promoting a Bill in Parliament to ascertain how local authorities would be affected by the proposals which the railway companies intend to embody in their Bill. The scheme, so we understand, will embrace all local transport authorities and regulated and approved services, and, naturally,
the chief consideration must always be the convenience and comfort of the travelling public.
There were several interesting expressions of opinion made in other debates relative to tram• and bus services and private and municipal bus enterprises.
In the discussion on "Maximum Fares" Alderman P. Smith, deputychairman of the Liverpool Tramways Committee, made a criticism of the finance policy of the tramways. He doubted if it was a good record or anything to boast of that municipalities had borrowed £77,000,000 for trams and had only repaid 48 per cent, of it. Some people would retort that trams had to contribute to rates as well as to repay loans. So they ought. (Loud dissent.) Mr. R. S. Filcher, Edinburgh Tramways manager, said the adoption of long distance maximum tram fares had won back passengers to trams from buses.
Councillor Thickett, 'Walsall, remarked that private bus owners were the first to shout for open competition, but so soon as their big opponent, the
municipalities, came along with buses they cried out that they were being driven into bankruptcy. If the association could get its Bill through Parliament it would be found that municipal services would outlive private enterprise because of their superiority.
A startling admission was made by Bailie Peter Burt, Glasgow, who ridiculed attacks on private bus enterprises. They should not be lamented but rejoiced over, for they had been an undoubted godsend. But for them, railways and tramways undertakings would have gone to sleep. Bus competition should be .met by cheaper and better service, and there Was no need to be depressed by their competition.
Mr. Mackinnon, author of the paper discussed, wound up the debate by saying that cheap fares and better service was the solution to bus competition, but each locality must find a solution of its peculiar problems.
At a luncheon held by the association Messrs. Gray and Ashwell, respectively chairman and secretary of the Cardiff Tramways and Bus Services Welfare Committee, attended and presented to Mr. R. L. Horsfield and Mrs. Horsfield gifts from the trams and bus employees as tokens of their esteem and to commemorate the presidency of the association by Mr. Horsfieid.