Two-man fares may rise
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• Manchester transport committee is proposing to increase fares on the traditional two-man operated buses while those on o-m-o vehicles will remain unchanged. On Tuesday a scheme was approved by the committee which it is hoped will recoup £772,000 a year. It will go before the city council on February 5 and the North Western Traffic Commissioners in due course.
On two-man buses the 6d fare for the first two stages will remain, but all other fares will be increased by 3d., i.e. 9d for third and fourth stages, 1s 3d up to and including the 12th stage and 1s 9d for all other fares. Minimax Services-6d for any distance—will be unaffected.
The committee was told that it had been designed to pass on the benefit of the savings achieved from o-m-o to the passengers who "served themselves". It was estimated that the undertaking would have a deficit of £496,660 in the financial year ending March 31 1969 and by March 1970 it would be £930,230. This was due to a drop in passengers and the recent £1 a week wage award to busmen.
Aid. Harry Sharp. the committee chairman, said it was recognized that the increases were likely to cause discontent among passengers on two-man operated buses but whatever scheme was produced, it would present problems for someone. One-fifth of the fleet had now been converted to one-man operation.