Licensing Authorities Being Unreasonable About Fares ?
Page 33
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A LTHOUGH, in the past, recomr-Imendations made by the Regional Fares Committees on fares on express services have been accepted as a guide by Licensing Authorities, the Passenger Vehicle Operators Association feels that certain Authorities are now adopting an unreasonable attitude. Evidence of increased costs is obvious, states the Association, and continued pressure is being exerted to secure approval of an increase in present fares on services of this type radiating to and from London.
Delay in approving applications to charge higher fares is causing anxiety in other parts of the country. Glasgow Transport Committee, in an effort to speed up a decision on its application, states that each month it is delayed the department incurs a loss of £50,000. The inquiry into. the Glasgow fares application is scheduled for September 18-19. but representations are being made for an earlier hearing. The department is also to ask for assurances that the findings of the•inquiry will be made
known as soon as possible.
According to Mr. E. R. L Fitzpayne, general manager of the Glasgow undertaking, the intention behind the proposed abolition of the penny fare is to discourage short distance tra-vellers. More than 300,000,000 of thi 557,000,000 passengers carried on the trams last year took penny tickets. On the buses, more than 57,000,000 passengers paid Id. fares, the next highest :lass of fare-paying passenger being the 43,000,000 who bought 3d. tickets. On the trolleybuses, 65 per cent. of the passengers carried were I d. fa re
travellers. Present demands on the undertaking exceed its capacity, and extensions arc limited by the capacity of roads and bridges in the centre of the city.
Lancashire Applications Proposals to increase fares, including Tiorning and lunch-time workmen's returns, by id., but excluding other special fares, are made in an application lodged with the North Western Licensing Authority by Darwen Cor poration. Accrington and Blackburn Corporations are applying for increases of Id, on workmen's return fares on joint services operated between Accrington and Lower Darwen and Blackburn.
Private concerns in the same area which have applied for increased or revised fares, are the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd.; Shearings Tours, Ltd., Oldham, which is asking for permission to increase fares on tours—in one case by ES 10s, 6d.—and the Rossendale Division Carriage Co., Ltd., Bactib, which asks for increases on excursions.
Similar applications referred to in "The Commercial Motor" on August 4, received varied handling from the Northern Licensing Authority. Only the application of Mrs. A. C. Norfolk. of Stocksfield, was approved. The claim for increases made by Mr. Cecil Moffit, Hexham, was adjourned, and that of Alton Bros. (Trimdon), Ltd., was refused.
Objections to the proposals to increase fares on the routes of Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., are to be made when the application comes up for hearing on September 6. The Trades Council and the Civil Service Clerical Association have tabled objections.
Manchester Corporation's application for increases, the hearing of which was reported in "The Commercial Motor" on June 2, has been granted. The application of the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., referred to above, will, it is presumed, cover routes operated jointly with the corporation.
Having received permission to charge higher rates on services operated in the Eastern Area, the Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., has now sought sanction to increase rates on services in the Metropolitan and East Midland Areas. The proposed fares are iri line with those authorized by the Eastern Licensing Authority, and represent a reduction on the schedules formerly lodged.
Similar proposals are contained in the application by Thames Valley Traction Co., Ltd. Increases ranging from id. to 6d. are proposed, as well as an addition of Id. or 10 per cent., whichever is the greater, to workmen's fares.
Workmen's earlymorning return tickets and transfer tickets issued by Leicester Transport Department on certain of its services are the subject of another application. These concession fares will be dropped, it is proposed,