Phases of Passenger Travel
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Notes on a Variety of Aspects of Coach and Bus Travel
PLYMOUTH'S BUS-STATION PROBLEM.
The Advisability of Providing a Municipal Station is Urged by the Chief Constable.
A REPORT on Plymouth's traffic .tiproblem has been prepared by Mr. A. K. Wilson, the chief constable, and submitted to the watch committee. It is principally concerned with the desirability of establishing a central station for buses and motor Coaches.
Dealing with the growth of the e..ty's traffic, he points out that Plymouth is situated on the main traffic route in the south, road and rail, between Devon and Cornwall, and adds that during 1920 103,161 motor vehicles passed over the Torpoiut Ferry, 32,402 using the &Rash Ferry. The city has always owed its importance to the sea and the business centre, therefore, remains in a district of na.rrow streets near the waterfront. At the present time vehicles on what might be called semilocal services enter and leave the city OIL 447 journeys daily and all of them, with the exception af 30, pass through Old Town Street. whilst 64 also pass through Westwell Street and Basket Street.-Gt"- A minimum ni i.i buses arrives and departs daily on Long-distance journeys between Plymcut:.. and London and the Midlands, the estimated number entering the city every day from other districts being 30.
B42 In addition to the heavy summer traffic, there is a regular and considerable winter traffic by road. To give but one example, a prominent local operating company has its entire fleet of 26 vehicles booked in advance until Christmas for every day on which the Argyle Football Club plays at home.
At present, the report strites, there are nine termini in Plymouth for buses and coach services, these being at St. Andrew's Cross, Pound Street, Notte
• Street, East Street, Tavistocle Place, Princess Square, Royal Rotel, Whimple Street and Raleigh Street. There are, of course, many considerations making it undesirable to have a number of termini placed widely apart Explaining what is needed to fulfil all its demands, the chief conetable says that a station must meet the following requirements :— (1) It must be centrally situated.
(2) It must be large enough to deal with the total volume of traffic. (=d) It must be equipped with all reasonable conveniences, such as waiting rooms, parcels offices, eta.
He regards the arguments in favour of such a station being owned by the municipality as important, and this quite apart from any question as to the possible earning capacity of the station.
The chief constable's report was considered at a meeting recently held of the special purposes committee, when a sub-committee was appointed for the Purpose of dealing with the question of the provision of a ,central bus station, or stations.