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Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
CONTROL OF PRIVATE. HIRE VEHICLES
AS a result of the rapidly expanding use of private-hire vehicles, more particularly in direct competition with taxis, the Inter-departmental Committee of Cabs and Private Hire Vehicles, in it interim report, recommends a form of control for privatehire vehicles by a licensing system.
Although strong representations have been made from taxicab interests to the effect that these vehicles should be controlled as rigidly as the taxi, the Committee does not agree that it would be in the public interest to apply in their entirety the regulations and restrictions now controlling taxis.
The main purpose of the suggested scheme of control is to ensure that the vehicles used for private-hire work are of suitable construction and are properly equipped and maintained; that the legal requirements as to insurance against third-party risks, including claims in respect of injuries to passengers, are complied with that no vehicle carries an excessive nutriber of passengers and that the drivers employed are competent and reliable, • Regarding the question of fares, the Committed says that on the assumption that private-hire concerns, providing suitable and well-maintained vehicles and competent drivers working under reasonable Conditions of service, can profitably operate at lower fares than taxis, it can see no reason why the public should be deprived of that advantage.
GLASGOW PLACES FUEL CONTRACT FOR 1039.
AT a meeting held last week. Glasgow Corporation decided, by 53 votes to 27, to accept the recommendation of the transport committee to place the contract for oil .fuel and petrol, required for the running of the corporation's buses during the next 12 months, with R.O.P., Ltd.
The' contract is for approximately 2,200,000 gallons of oil, estimated to cost £116,302, and for 802,000 gallons of petrol, estimated to cost £46,176, EMPLOYEES REJECT GATESHEAD OPERATOR'S OFFER. FOLLOWING a three-hours meeting, at Gateshead on Sunday last, 1,500 employees of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., and its associated concerns, unanimously rejected the company's offer regarding wages and
working conditions. The men had asked for a halfpenny an hour wage increase for drivers, a penny an hour a62
increase for conductors and all grades of inside workers,and a fortnight's holiday, with pay, instead -of a week.
The company offered an increase of halfpenny an hour only for conductors and one extra day's holiday each year. It refused to recognize Good Friday and New Year's Day as bank holidays and also refused to reduce working hours on Saturdays. It was decided that the negotiating committee should interview the company's board of directors in London. A further mass meeting is to be held at a later date.
TRAM DECISION WILL MODIFY MANCHESTER'S ESTIMATES.
ESTIMATES of Manchester Corporation Transport Committee show that the total income is likely to amount to £2,604,100, an increase of £174,700 as compared with 1938-29. Income from buses shows an increase of £456,500, and from trolleybuses £36,000, whilst trains show a reduction of £318,400.
The foregoing figures take into account the abandonment of certain tram routes and the introduction of buses during the current year.
Expenditure for the year 1939-40 is estimated at £2,555,300, which is an increase of £228,900 as compared with that estimated for the.current financial year. An increase of £447,400 on buses, £26,800 on trolleybuses and a reduction of £245,300 on trams are the 1939-40 estimates.
A loss of £100,000 on trams is anticipated, whilst buses are expected to show a profit of £142,700 and trolleybuses £12,100,
It should be pointed out that the estimates of the transport committee were prepared before the council made its decision, on February 1, in regard to the abandonment of trams, and, for this reason, will be subject to considerable modification.
NEW COACH STATION FOR INDEPENDENT OPERATOR.
AN independent operator, A. Mayne and Son, Ltd., with which. Manchester Corporation was recently negotiating for its Droylsden to Manchester service, is building a new garage with offices, waiting rooms, etc., at a cost of several thousands of pounds, on a site near the boundary of the city. It has been granted this site as a new picking-up point for its excursions and tours, and as its future registered address.
There was opposition on behalf of Messrs. E. Morby and Son, but this was overruled on the ground that the applicant already had a picking-up point nearer than would be the new garage to Messrs. Morby's territory.
OPERATORS WHO "LET DOWN" THE PUBLIC
EFERENCE to bus operators who Il‘fail to run advertised tours was made by Mr. A. Henderson at a sitting of the Traffic Commissioners in Glasgow last week,
The Commissioners were considering an application for a tour from a village, outside Glasgow, to various holiday resorts. The "applicant stated that he could not remember baying at any time advertised a tour which he failed to run.
Mr. Henderson " Is there some doubt about? "
The applicant; " It has not happened in the last year or two, anyway."
Mr. Henderson said that that was the worst of small operators. He wondered if they ever thought how people felt when, having booked for a tour, the coach did not run.
Addressing the applicant, he said that the Commissioners had requested a return of his figures, but these had not been given. " We are not sure if there are any grounds for giving this licence," he added, REDUCED FEE FOR P.S.V. LICENCES.
I N the House of Commons on Wednes
day of last week the Minister of Transport announced that he was about to make regulations reducing the' fee for public-service vehicle licences from £3 to £2 a year.
GLASGOW ORDERS 57 BUS BODIES.
CONTRACTS for the supply of 57 bus bodies, 30 double-deckers, 20 of an intermediate type, and seven singledeckers were placed by Glasgow Corporation Transport Committee last week.
It was decided to divide the contract for the 30 double-deckers between the English Electric Co., Ltd., of Preston, and Metropolitan Carmel Weyman Motor Bodies, Ltd., of Birmingham, each concern to supply 15 bodies. It was also agreed to purchase the 20 intermediate-type bus bodies from R. Y. Pickering and Co., Ltd., WiShaw, Lanarkshire, and to place the order for the seven single-deck bodies with the same company.
Councillor Crone, seconded by Councillor Blanche, moved that the Committee should place a small order for five buses with Covviesons, Ltd., of Glasgow, but his proposal was defeated.
TROLLEYBUSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
A T a meeting of Urrnst.an Council NVorks Committee the Stretford
Trades Council suggested that it was essential, in the interest of public health and by reason of various other factors, that trolleyhuses, and not oilengined vehicles, be introduced when the existing tramway systems be abandoned. A councillor moved that no action be taken in the matter.
An amendment was moved by another member to the effect that action be deferred until an opportune time arose. On a vote being taken the amendment was declared carried.
NEW BY-PASS WILL SPEED-UP "NORTH WESTERN" SERVICES.
THE North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., has obtained the permission of the Traffic Commissioners to use the new by-pass road for its express services and excursions to North Wales resorts. By this means the congested parts of Northwich, Chester and Mold will be avoided and the journey be speeded up by half an hour.
In reply to the questions of the Commissioners it was stated that the time schedule was based on 22 m.p.h. to 24 m.p.h., which was not high considering that the new road provided four carriageways and wide footpaths on each side.
DUNDEE'S " SIXIF'ENCE-A-WEEK " MEN.
OFFICIALS of Dundee Transport Department were being jeered at as " sixpence-a-week " men, stated Mr.
Mortimer, divisional secretary for Scotland of the N.A.L.G.O. last week, when he said he was appearing in connection with . an application on -behalf of inspectors, He. had been surprised to learn that a sub-committee had gone hack on its recommendation with regard to the inspectors, and had reduced the increase, on the maximum, from8s. to 6d. " The men feel that this recommendation of 6d. a week is an insult. The men under them," said Mr. Mortimer, " jeer at them as ' sixpence-a-iveek ' men."
The committee approved of the subcommittee's proposals, which include the 6d. rise to inspectors, with varying larger amounts to employees on the traffic supervisory staff.
SCOTTISH BUSMEN'S DEMANDS OF S.M.T. COMPANY.
AN increase of one farthing an hour for all drivers and conductors, and an extension from eight to ten days' holiday a year, with pay, are among the demands which will be placed before the management of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., and its subsidiary companies, this week. Should the increase be granted, drivers in Edinburgh, on top rate, will, receive is. 5d. an hour and conductors, on top rate, Is. ad. an hour
Midnight meetings of drivers and conductors were held throughout Scotland last week-end.
The Transport and General Workers' Union will press the management to delete scale C in the wages agreement. This would provide improved conditions for conductors and conductresses, employed only by the subsidiary companies.
WAGE INCREASES BY LINCS COMPANY.
THE general manager of the Lincoln
.I. shire Road Car Co., Ltd., states that proposals, put forward by the company, have been accepted by the drivers and conductors. This means that all grades of conductors and topgrade drivers will receive increases in pay at the rate of Id.. per hour and id. per hour respectively. '
An extra day's holiday,, with pay, making seven days instead of six, will he granted to all drivers and conductors who have completed two years' service with the company.
TROLLEYBUS WAR IN GLASGOW REVIVED
THE trolleybus controversy in Glasgow is having a rather unpleasant aftermath.In taking its decision not to adopt an experimental service of trolleybuses, the corporation had before it a report from the transport manager, which was unfavourable to the proposal. .
Councillor Victor Warren took the view that that report was not so impartial as it ought to be, in the examination of the experience with trolleybus operation in English cities. He 'asked that a committee of inquiry be held into the preparation of that report, and a sub-committee was set up some time ago for the purpose.
The sub-committee met, on Monday *last, and agreed to put in writing, to the manager, a series of questions on the subject. The questions, which have been prompted by Councillor Warren, indicate that he is not satisfied with the investigation made of the running of the trolleybuses by London Transport.
One of the questions—there are over 20 of them altogether—asks the manager to state "wiry the figures contained in the annual report of the London Passenger .Transport Board were omitted from his report, particularly when those figures show very considerable advantagesin favour of •trolley vehicles where they are being operated on similar systems and from, similar power stations in so far as electrical consumption is concerned."
• Did the deputation meet any of the engineers who were operating trolleybuses in London?" ." Did the deputation ride in any of the London.trolIe3,7buses? " " Did it see any of the 70seater vehicles? " " Did it hold any conversations with the operatives who were working these buses?"
These are some of the questions to which, possibly, the interrogating councillor knows the answers, The very nature of the questions, however, suggests that lively times are ahead.