STRICTER PASSENGER-TICKET CONDITIONS IN THE NORTH
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United Automobile Services, Ltd., and Other Operators Withdraw Certain Concessions Hitherto Made to the Public CURTAILIEENTS in the weekly " unlimited-travel " tickets formerly issued by certain concerns working local services in Northumberland have led to a threatened boycott, an appeal for organized protest and talk of bringing the position to the notice of Mr. H. Riches, Northern Area Traffic Commissioner.
The United Automobile Services, Ltd., has withdrawn its cheap weekly tickets between certain points, and substituted journey tickets by which the number of journeys is limited, in some cases to 12 per week. An explanation given by one of the company's officials, that the concession was being abused, was undoubtedly founded on known instances of misuse. There is no doubt that in many instances the weekly tickets were being used by several different members of a family for business or pleasure.
At the same time there were many travellers who made reasonable use of the passes, and their objection to this new system was not unexpected. It is claimed by the company that the monthly ticket, which allows unlimited travel at a cost practically the same as obtained before, overcomes the difficulty for genuine pass users.
Following a reported boycott, which the company denied by stating there had been no difference in the traffic returns and apt there had been so many applications for season tickets that additional staff had been required, there was an appeal from the North Gosforth and District Ratepayers' Association for other similar associations to join in an organized protest. A joint meeting of the associations interested will probably soon be called.
From another source local authorities were urged to bring the matter to the attention of the Commissioner and to ask that he should exercise his powers, concerning the fixing of fares, under the Road Traffic Act.
In consequence of the withdrawal of a rather different concession by the Newcastle Corporation transport committee on the Newcastle-Darras Hall route, a protest meeting has been called by a voluntary committee. Discount tickets in books, which had meant a 30-per-cent. reduction for users, have been restricted to certain hours of the day, whereas it is complained that they are of use only
to business people. The use of the tickets on Sundays has also been completely withdrawn.
Darms Hall, one of the suburbs of the city, will, it is asserted; suffer as a result of these restrictions, which require that the full fare of is. 6d. shall be paid except on those runs before 9.30 a.m. and between 4.30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The feeling in trade Circles is that a curtailment of the facilities was imperative and that the need for increasing the fares all round may yet be realized as a result of the additional calls to be met due to the working of the Road Traffic Act.