New Standee and Fitness Proposals Revealed at S.R.P.T.A. Conference
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TWO surprises from Mr. H. Perrin. chief mechanical engineer, Ministry of Transport, were the highlights of discussion at the Scottish Road Passenger Transport Association conference on the paper (see page 41) by Mr. E. Neilsen, general manager, Copenhagen Municipal Transport Department.
Firstly came news that the Ministry of Transport is about to circulate a memorandum proposing sweeping changes in the regulations governing standing passengers on buses. Several delegates at the conference expressed pleasure at the proposals, the main one of which is understood to be a suggestion that two standing passengers should be allowed for every one seated passenger. It is expected that this memorandum will be made known next week.
The second surprise from Mr. Perring was when he renewed an offer he said he had made previously but not stressed. asking for some bus operators to sit down with him and consider the Conditions of Fitness Regulations in every respect to see whether the Ministry could iron out problems and make things easier for operators This offer was immediately taken up at the annual general meeting of the S.R.P.T.A. when it was decided that the technical committee of the Association should have a preliminary meeting with Mr. Perring at the Conference.
Discussing Mr. Neilsen's paper, Mr. S. Lloyd (London Transport) referred to the United States of America and what he described as "a very encouraging change of heart" towards helping urban bus operators, both financially and through traffic engineering. There was considerable subsidization to uneconomical services and low fares levels. There was considerable reduction in and exemption from taxes of all sorts.
Mr. R. J. Ellery (B.E.T.) questioned whether the small buses mentioned by Mr. Neilsen would be any use in this country, He said that such vehicles had been tried in urban areas but had not been found economical. Mr. James Amos (Scottish Omnibuses Group) said: " We do not like subsidies. We like to pay our own way ". He discussed Mr. Neilsen's use of part-time staff in rush hours and wondered whether, if undertakings in this country used such staff, they would not lose the personal touch between platform staff and passengers. He also thought that operators in this country through becoming accustomed to their jobs sometimes tended to manufacture their own difficulties.
Mr. W. M..Little (Edinburgh Corporation) applauded the Association having these discussions on a European level. He thought there was a future in educating the public back some way towards vehicles carrying more standing passengers than at present and in this respect he welcomed the memorandum from Mr. Pcrring. Mr. E. R. L. Fitzpayne (Glasgow Corporation) said that operators in this country had something to learn from the high-capacity vehicles used in Copenhagen. He said he had recently met a Russian engineer who thought that in 50 ycars' time they would have no buses on the streets in that country—only cars.
At the annual meeting of the Association, Councillor Hugh Macpherson, Convenor, Edinburgh Corporation, was elected president for 1963/64 with Mr. P. Armstrong of W. Alexander (Midland) Ltd. his vice-president. Mr. J. Mackie, the retiring Belfast general manager, was elected an honorary member of the Association.