Merseyside increase 'very fair'
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Traffic Commissioners
• A flat rate increase of 3d, on all fares within the Liverpool Corporation section of the area now under the control of Merseyside PTE, was granted in Liverpool on Tuesday. The chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, Mr. C. R. Hodgson, said that he thought the application was a very fair one. The increase did not affect the Birkenhead or Wallasey areas.
Objections were received from four local authorities and representation was made by Cllr Cyril Carr on behalf of the Liverpool Liberal party.
The director-general of Merseyside PTA, Mr. A. Burrows, said that if the increase was not granted the accumulated deficit on March 31 1971 would be £2,645,800. The PTE had inherited a deficit of £484,660 when it was vested on December 1, 1969. The estimated working deficit for the financial year ending March 31 1971 was £1,271,950. This estimate did not include the further £321,000 which would be paid in wage awards. Even with the increase in fares, which would bring in an additional £843,253, said Mr. Burrows, the operating deficit on March 31 1971 would be £428,700.
Mr. Burrows said that the Executive intended to extend the system of issuing bus economy tickets. This gave purchasers 10 journeys for the price of eight and meant that despite the fares increase the minimum would be 4.8d, still less than the minimum in most cities. Without the economy tickets the new minimum would be 6d.
Cllr. Carr said that under Section 9 of the Transport Act 1968 the PTE was requested to provide a properly integrated system of public transport. Merseyside PTE had failed to observe this section by applying for a fares revision for the ex-Liverpool Corporation area only. The fares increase should have been to cover the whole of Merseyside. This, said Cllr. Carr, was the general duty of the PTE. He admitted that a fares increase was needed but asked that the Executive should be made to take another look at the revision on an overall basis.
Mr. Burrows said that the PTE intended to carry out a rationalization of the whole fare structure.
The chairman of the Traffic Commissioners said that Merseyside PTE had not had time to work out a different fare structure. The new fare scale will come into operation from March 16 1970.