Adverse Budget Proposals, says Mr. Birch
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SPEAKING at the 67th annual general meeting of the Potteries Motor Traction Co. Ltd. last week, the company chairman and managing director, Mr. Raymond W. Birch, said he regretted the great inconvenience that recent unofficial strikes and overtime bans had caused to passengers and to traders in north Staffs. The damage done by such irresponsible action was always disproportionately high, confidence in the company's service was shaken,. and former passengers who had thus been forced to find other means of travel might not readily return. Mr. Birch said he found it difficult to be enthusiastic about a Budget speech " which ignored our plea to be relieved of the crippling burden of fuel tax and merely tells us that it has been decided
not to increase it ". Furthermore, he said. the Budget proposals regarding company taxation were likely to affect the company adversely because, apart from anything else, it would suffer considerably from the reduced value of capital allowances.
Private hire and excursions business had ,been given a boost, said Mr, Birch, by the introduction of several Duple Commander coaches on AEC Reliance chassis. He was happy to say that the company and Stoke upon Trent Corporation which was to build a new bus station, were working in close harmony as to its site and layout, the building of an -administration block for the corn
pany's use, and the re-routeing of vehicular traffic in the streets of central Hanley.
Bus operators were in an exceptional position to help local authorities and the police in planning disiussions, went on Mr. Birch. " I am glad to say that the police and the City Fathers of Stoke do welcome officers of the company in this way, in contrast with authorities in some other parts of the country, where bus operators have been presented with a fait accompli, or at best have learned only belatedly of proposed changes in traffic flow."
On the question of pedestrian shopping precincts from which vehicular traffic was excluded and comprehensive one-way systems, Mr. Birch said that bus operators found it increasingly necessary to resist plans for gyratory one-way traffic on so extravagant a scale as to add significantly to the running time, hence to the number of buses and men needed to maintain a given frequency of service. In such cases, he said, buses should. be allowed to keep to their direct route through the centre, even though other motor traffic may be diverted around the circumference. The company's profit of £267,102 for 1964, before charging income tax or profits tax, was £39.4591ess than in 1963. Largely because of the fall in profit, taxation was also lower and net profit, after tax, fell by £22,551 to £195,191.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Concessionary Passes for Sunderland Sunderland Town Council has approved a scheme to introduce concessionary passes for single women and widows over 60 years of age and men over 65 who are not in receipt of earnings in excess of an average of f.:1 10s. per week, or persons disabled by amputation of the whole or part of a leg or foot not earning more than the above amount. The passes will entitle the holders to travel on any Sunderland Corporation bus at half the normal adult fare outside peak hours, The council extended the proposals to include football special buses.
1"....1e.weastle Concessionary Fares; Newcastle uponL Tyne transport comm.iftee is to seek permission to extend concessionary bus fares to people who retire prematurely through ill-health.
United Counties Timetable: Following hard on the heels of the new localized Eastern National timetable in Continental time (The Commercial Motor, last week) has come the publication of the full United Counties timetable employing the 24-hour clock system. Both timetables are to the new standard specification drawn up by a working party representing the three major company bus groups.