AN ANOMALY IN CHEAP FARES.
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How the Season's ResultsHave teen Influenced by Unstable Rates.
A8 a result of the cheap fares which have been the rule at, Blackpool this season motor coach owners have nt waxed fat on the proceeds of their activities during the past few months. Fares have touched new low records, less in some instances than id. per mile. For instance, trips to Windermere have been run for as little as 4s. return for the jou.rney, a matter of about 100 miles ; Blackpool to Preston and back, 30 miles,
1s. fid., and Southport and back for 3s.
Day trips, starting at, an early morning hour and returning at 7 or 8 o'clock in the evening, have only rarely been quoted at more than 10s. In other parts of the country similar journeys would cost from 15s. to 30s. per passenger. The Blackpool-Winderinere run, which before the war was about 12s., may be mentioned as a case where the motor coach has providedthe cheapest of modern travelling facilities. Last year the run -was undertaken at an average rate of 75. 6d. Some little time ago this price was cut to 5s., and now there are owners willing to do it for 4s. .
Owing to these extraordinary Tow fares business, which in the ordinary course of events would be undertaken by coach owners in other Lancashire towns, is centred on Blackpool. A short time ago the writer heard of some Oswaldtwistle passengers, who decided to go to Windermere. They examined the local motor coach owners announcements, and found that the rate-to Windermere on a.
• pneumatic-tyred coach was 12.9. 64,, quite a fair and reasonable rate, but 'whilst Blackpool was offering such cheap fareo they 'found they could make a better deal by hooking an excursion -ticket on the railway to Blackpool for 4s, 2d. return, and then booking by motor coach to Windermere at a return !charge of 5s. Thus, the total travelling costs amounted to Ps. 2d. Via Blackpool as compared with 12s. 6d, for the journey lpy motor coach from Oswaldtwistle, near
Accrington. The distance, it should be stated, from Accrington to Windermere is about the same as that from Blackpool..
It is learned that the daily motor coach trips from Preston to Blackpool, Southport, etc., have yielded very disappointing results. There has been a lack of week-day business, and the fares were too low at, weekends to permit of really good returns being obtained. During the holiday week, of course, the demand for coaches Was so great that vehicles had to he. obtained from other towns.
Sn far as bookings in Mid-Lancashire generally are concerned, they have not given much satisfaction to coach owners. Industrial conditions have left the mass of people in indigent circumstantieS, and they have not had the money available for pleasures as in years -gone by. Coach owners, therefore, seeni to have submitted to the inevitable by cutting rates to the finest limit, but, even so, the net results have been by no means satisfactory.