GLASGOW ORDERS 230 NEW BUSES
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fIRDERS for 230 new buses, worth IL., about 1800,000, have been given by the transport committee of Glasgow Corporation. Bodies of 25 of the buses are to be built in the department's workshops. The Corporation was recently granted powers to build its own bodies and they arc about to be used for the first time.
Orders were for two major additions to the fleet, one adding 130 buses under the 1947-48 programme and the other providing 100 buses in 1949. In the first group are 70 A.E.C. chassis, 40 Albion, and 20 Daimler. Fifty Crossley all-metal bodies, 40 composite bodies by Northern Coachbuilders, Ltd., and 40 composite bodies by Charles Roberts and Co.. Ltd., are to be purchased.
In the second group, 75 A.E.C. and 25 Albion chassis have been ordered. Bodies for 75 chassis are to be built by Metropolitan -Carmel] Weymann Bodies, Ltd., and the remaining 25 are to be made at the corporation's Larkfield workshops.
MOTORBUSES GAIN: TRAMS AND TROLLEYBUSES LOSE
ASTATISTICAL statement issued by Bradford city treasurer gives in terms of mileage the financial results of the operations of the city's passenger transport undertaking during the past financial year. The motorbuses Made a profit of more than 2id. per vehiclemile, but the tramways lost over 40. per vehicle-mile, although they are free from debt. There was a loss of about id. a mile on the trolleybuses.
COUNCILS HELP "STAGGERING" PLANS
UNANIMOUS support is being given by local authorities to the plan to stagger working hours throughout Central London Nineteen local authorities have been consulted and havz promised to give the campaign full support. Trade associations that have been approached are also enthusiastic to help.
The Ministry of Transport will arrange and send representatives to preside at 14 inaugural meetings in January, when plans for the staggering of hours in 14 Central London districts will be made. Altogether 1,403 large employers, each with more than 100 work people, will be invited to the meetings.
255 TROLLEYBUS ROUTE-MILES "THE first London tram and trolleybus map to appear for six years has just been issued by London Transport. It has been completely redesigned, on the same lines as the new bus map and guide, to show the 102 miles of tramway and 255 miles of trolleybus routes with the greatest possible clearness. On the back, details and timings of 37 tram and 51 trolleybus routes are shown.
STANDARD Id. FARE?
DARWEN Transport Committee is applying to the Traffic Commissioners for permission to adopt a standard id. fare for schoolchildren on all bus routes radiating from tile town centre.
ALTER LENGTH REGULATIONS AND HELP EXPORTS
D EGULATIONS governing the over
all length of four-wheeled passenger vehicles were criticized by Mr Sydney S. Guy, chairman and managing director of Guy Motors, Ltd., at the company's annual meeting on December 19.
He said that because British 'legislation did not conform with the requirements of the export markets, manufacturers had to produce two different lengths of vehicle for similar purposes. Inevitably, production was retarded and the cost of both models increased.
"It also makes it difficult for us to compete in the export markets with foreign manufacturers who are not so handicapped," he continued. "Manufacturers and operators feel most strongly that these unnecessary restrictions should be removed immediately so that the industry can give an even greater weight to the national export drive."
Mr Guy said that during the past year the company had exported about 40 per cent. of its production. Speaking generally, the output of goods and passenger vehicles for 1947 had been sold and there were many home and overseas orders for 048 production. He also stated that the supply of materials and certain proprietary parts in recent months had created problems greater than those of any period of the war.
COUNTRY AND FARMING PEOPLE NEGLECTED?
REJECTING an application at Darlington for permission to run a bus service between Darlington and Barnard Castle, the Northern Licensing Authority, Mr. S. W. Nelson, said that
he did not want people to think that by,doing so he was not aware of the needs of the agricultural community in the area.
The applicant was Mr. A. N. Howson, an ex-Serviceman who for some time has been running a taxicab in the district of Barnard Castle. He was supported by a petition signed by 264 people and it was stated that the proposed service would touch two or three places not already served by buses.
It was submitted that United Automobile Services, Ltd., was operating on part of the route, but had not been able to increase the frequency of the service through inability to add to the number of buses. BOLTON TRANSPORT FEARS A LOSS AST week Mr. A. A. Jackson, Bolton Corporation's tr otsport manager, told the North-Western Licensing,Authority that the proposed increases in fares were not likely to show profits. If estimates were borne out, at the end of five years an accumulative loss of 170,000
would be incurred. Possibly reconsideration would be necessary two or three years hence, having in mind extensions of services for new housing.
The overall increase in fares, it was stated, would be approximately 30 per cent. Among the increased costs per mile, Mr. Jackson gave:—Tyres, 326 per cent..' timber, 162 per cent.; lubricating oil, 132 per cent.; oil fuel, 35 per cent.