Operating Aspects of
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Passenger Transport
All the latest news of important developments affecting pub lic-service
v chicle owners
SPECIAL CONCESSION FOR ROYAL JUBILEE?
REPRESENTATIONS are being made by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association to the Traffic Commissioners of all areas for what is; in effect, dispensation from the observance of the ordinary conditions attached to the licences of seasonal excursion-and-tour and expressservice operators, on May 6 next, which will, of course, be a Bank Holiday, in celebration of the King's Jubilee.
Many operators of seasonal services are not at present licensed to work on that day, and it is thought that if the Commissioners make an exception on that occasion, both they and publicservice-vehicle owners will be saved considerable trouble in connection with applications for the modification of existing licences and applications for short-period licences to cover the event.
There should undoubtedly be a great demand for coach travel on that day.
NEW VARIATION OF DRIVERS' HOURS?
WE understand that steps are being VV taken to apply to the Minister of Transport for a further variation of Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, concerning drivers' hours. The existing Variation Order expires in May next, and joint representations on the matter are being made by the associations concerned, MORE BUSES FOR HULL'
AS already announced in The Corn.. mercial Motor, Hull Transport Committee is considering the replacement of the tramways by bus services. At a meeting, last week, -the Lord Mayor suggested that the committee should inspect oil-engined buses.
Mr. C. Hurley, the chairman, remarked that the committee would soon B36 have to decide upon the type of vehicle which it was intended to employ. Mr. Morrison, the transport manager, said that he was investigating claims in connection with a battery-electric vehicle which would use its own power in congested streets and, in less-restricted areas, would take its electric supply from overhead equipment, at the same time recharging the battery. It was decided to discontinue the issue of discount tickets after March 31 next.
NORWICH TRAMS TO GO.
IT is understood that he Norwich 'Electric Tramways Co. proposes to promote a Bill to authorize the abandonment of the tramways and the extension of the company's bus-running powers. Norwich Corporation is to reinstate the roads after the discontinuance of the tramways, subject to payment of 232,000 by the company.
TRAMS CAUSE CONGESTION.
GREATEST concern has been expressed by the Liverpool branch of the Commercial Motor Users Association with the report of Mr. W. G. Marks, Liverpool Corporation's transport manager, who, in his scheme for the reorganization of the municipaltransport undertaking, recommends a continuance of the tramways. The C.M.U.A. states that this report implies the perpetuation of traffic congestion in the city by the retention of tramcars.
EAST YORKSHIRE CO.'S PROFIT HIGHER.
DURING the past year, East Yorkshire Motor Services, Ltd., has made a net profit of 234,343, as compared with 221,604 last year. The revenue has risen by 214,799 to 2251,061, 2193,186 being required for operating and maintenance expenses, etc. The depreciation fund has received a contribution of 223,531.
A dividend of 10 per cent, has been declared, as compared with 8 per cent, last year. The reserve fund has been allocated 210,000 and 2,17,753 is carried forward. UNITYOF ACTION IN -PRACTICE.
A LTHOUGH little ha.s been heard of .ti.the results of the National Conference of public-service-vehicle operators, which was held at Blackpool early in October, under the auspices of the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, it must not be thought that the important work carried out on that occasion has been wasted.
As already announced in The Commercial Motor, a deputation is to be made to the Minister of Transport to place before him the views of operators on the administration of the Road
Traffic Act, 1930. Associations all over the country have now submitted to the M.H.C.S.A. their considered opinions on the subject and the material is being collated.
We under.stand that, as an initial step, the support of many members of Parliament is being obtained, so that the views of the industry may adequately be represented to the proper quarters.
The M.II.C.S.A. is holding meetings in various parts of the country, at which strong efforts are being made to bring operators to a full realization of the need for unity of action and to impress upon the authorities the case of the industry.
At a recent meeting at Newbury, which was attended by about 200 persons, a resolution was passed to the effect that the British Road Federation should collaborate with its affiliated bodies to secure that the Minister's statement in the House of Commons that he wished to avoid all injustices to operators should be carried out.
M.H.C.S.A. IN GUERNSEY.
L I AST week we announced that coach and bus operators in Guernsey proposed to form an association and that the assistance of The Commercial Motor had been sought. We now learn that the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association has expressed its willingness to form a branch in the island.
LOWER FARES IN EAST MIDLAND AREA
REDUCED fares for excursions and tours from the East Midland Area were agreed at a meeting of operators in the Derby district, last week. Mr. A. G. Curtis, representing the East Midland Traffic Commissioners, presided.
Most of the reductions were of 6d. or is., but it was decided that the fare from Repton to Skegness should be lowered from 12s. to 9s., and that from \Virksworth to Belle Vue, 'Manchester, from 7s. 6d. to Gs. It was agreed that evening tours should Commence at 5 p.m., instead of 6 p.m.
GLASGOW'S SOARING REVENUE.
REMARKABLE progress has been kmade, in recent weeks, by Glasgow's municipal-transport department, substantial increases both in revenue and in the number of passengers carried being recorded. A return submitted at a meeting of the transport committee, on December 19, showed that from June 1-December 15 there had been 'an increase sin revenue of £58,797. During that period, the number of passengers carried -totalled 289,164,039, producing a revenue of £1,542,395.
PRICE OF GOODWILL OF CHELMSFORD-LONDON SERVICE.
APPLICATION was, last week, made by the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., to the Eastern Traffic Commissioners, for permission to take over the Chelmsford-London service of Messrs. Rose Bros, George Ewer and Co., Ltd., objected.
It was stated that the Eastern National coll-Qern was buying only the goodwill of the service and was paying not less than £3,500. It was thought that, with the co-ordination of the service with others, it could be made remunerative. Mr. Ewer contended that the Eastern National concern should nut be allowed to run to King's Cross. for the company had no goodwill there, except that which it proposed to purchase, whilst the goodwill of other operators, worth £30,000-R40,000, would he scattered. The hearing was adjourned.
The Commissioners. granted the Eastern National concern permission to take over a number of services operated by Mr. J. W. Cozzett, of Maldon. The company is also 'seeking permission to lake over the services of Mr. C. N. Taylor, of Braintree:
EAST KENT CO. REDUCES COSTS.
AREFERENCE to reduced operating costs was made by Mr. S. E. Garcke, chairman of the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., at• the concern's annual general meeting, last week. He said that the undertaking was exceptionally difficult to work, on account of the long out-of-season period, when revenue was low. .The improvement in industry had not yet been reflected, to any material extent, in the spending
power of visitors and residential populations, which were the main sources of the company's revenue. The concern last year paid nearly £75,000 in taxation, or about £5,000 more than in the previous year.
The company's extended-tours business had shown a marked revival and the prospects of the forthcoming season were encouraging. The itineraries cf these tours would be further improved and varied.
MANCHESTER BUSES POPULAR.
AN increase of £28,205 in the receipts of Manchester Corporation's transport department for the period from April 1-December 1,as compared with a similar period last year, was shown in a statement presented to the transport committee, last week. The total receipts were £1,489,741, the trams bringing in £890,430 (a decrease of £21,240), and buses 2509,311 (an increase of £49,451). Passengers carried numbered 223,050,829, there being a rise of 5,007,406 in the bus passengers and a drop of 2,611,146 in -ham travellers.
400 NEW BUSES FOR PARIS.
I T is reported that the S.T.C.R.P.,
the concern which 'runs the bus services in Paris, has just given an order for 400 new vehicles, of which 65 are to be built by the Panhard-Levassor Co. and 335 by the Renault concern.
84 OILERS FOR LEEDS.
WE announced last week that Leeds Corporation has been recommended to buy 40 A.E.C. oiFengined bus
chassis, with English Electric, M.-C.-W. and Roe bodies. If these vehicles be ordered, the municipal bus fleet will be increased to 179 units, 84 being oilers. The corporation first used oil-engined vehicles in 1930.
BUS STATION PREFERRED TO SWIMMING BATH.
AN unusual petition was received by ,Swansea Parks Committee at its December meeting. The committee has acquired a site for a swimming bath in the centre of the town, but the residents request that it be used for the provision of a bus station.
.The matter has been referred to a standing sub-committee.
CO-ORDINATION OF THANET SERVICES
D ECENTLY, Mr. Gleeson E. Robin'Von, the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, stated that coach services from London to the Isle of Thanet must be co-ordinated, in the true sense of the word. Consequently, the operators engaged on the London-MargateRamsgate route met just before Christmas and various suggestions were considered, but it appears that no definite conclusion was reached. We are not, at the moment, at liberty to disclose the line of action that may be taken.
AIR SECTION FOR MIDLANDS ASSOCIATION?
HE formation of an aviation section I is being considered by the Midlands Area Omnibus and Coach Owners Association, said Mr. W. H. Perry, secretary, at the annual dinner of the Association, last week. He acknowledged the help of Mr. W. Lindsay Everarcl, M.P,, the president, in the preliminary discussions.
In addition to Mr. Perry, the speakers were Mr. Everard, Mr. J. E. Clarke, Mr. A. W. Jackman, Mr. H. A. Erowett and Mr. A. M. Lyons, K.C., M.P. Some 160 persons attended.
It is understood that a member' of the Association has -already travelled by air to Traffic Commissioners' sittings, using his own machine, and several members are said to have shown strong interest in the possibilities of
air transport. .
SCOTTISH PROTECTION QUESTION,
THE question of the protection of the tramway service on the Dunfermline-Lochore route was considered by Dunfermline Town Council, on December 18. After a long discussion, it was decided to recommend to the Southern Scotland Traffic Commissioners that the local bus service should operate every 20 minutes, with increased running times at week-ends.
It was stated that. Dunfermline Traction Cci. paid £1,000 yearly to the council. A conference of local authorities had recommended a 15-minute service, but 7iminutes on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
EXTRA PICKING UP POINTS IN WINTER
AN unifsual application for additional picking-up points during the winter has been made to the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner by Southdown Motor Services, Ltd., in respect of its Bognor-London service. It is proposed that the additional picking-up points should be used only from October 1 to the Wednesday before Easter, inclusive,
We understand that the proposal, which is embodied in an application for a backing to continue an existing service, is being opposed by several operators, on the grounds that it is likely to prejudice the interests of those who operate from the points in question and that it is likely to create a dangerous precedent.
FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF FARES-VARIATION MACHINERY. WE learn that Nos. 4 and 6 Regional IT Fares Committee will shortly hold meetings to consider the recornmendations of a meeting of operators for speeding up the procedure for the variation of fares. As reported in the issue of The Commercial Motor dated December 74, Nos. 1 and 2 Regional Fares Committees have already approved most of the proposals.
METROPOLITAN COMMISSIONER FAVOURS SINGLE TICKETS. INTERESTING statements in connecition with seasonal services were recently made by Mr. Gleeson E. Robinson, Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, in connection with an application by Surrey Motors, Ltd. So far as single tickets are concerned, he said: " I know of no facts or circumstances or principle which would lead me to think that singles ought to be prohibited." Later, he remarked : " I do not think the Minister has laid down anything which is binding on me to regard the summer period as being necessarily six months."
APPLICATION DEFERRED FOR THREE YEARS.
THE East Midland Traffic Commis" sioners have deferred for three years an application by the Lincolnshire Road Car Co., Ltd., to run a bus service from Louth to a £3,000,000 Royal Air Force camp at Manby. Mr. F. C. Wright and Mr. C. Barker, of Louth, who were objectors, had applications of their own in the list, these also being deferred.
FORMS FOR CONTRACT RECORDS.
ACOMPREHENSIVE range of forms for the keeping of contract-carriage records, as required by the relevant regulations introduced on December 1, has been issued by the Debecey Wholesale and Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Oldbury, Birmingham,
Some of the forms provide also for records of expenses, mileage, fuel consumption, tyre mileage, etc. The work tickets are available in book form, the prices ranging from 7s. a dozen to 4s. 6d. a dozen, according to the quail 538 tity ordered, and, with the naine and address of the licence holder specially printed, at prices from 13s. 6d, a dozen to 7s. a dozen. The record forms are also available as loose sheets at attractive prices.
M.H.C.S.A. OPEN MEETING.
THE annual general meeting of the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association will be held at Cannon Street Hotel, London, on January 14, and will be followed by an open meeting, at 8 p.m., to which all operators are invited. ANOTHER IRISH. LINE TO BE CLOSED T.HE Great Southern Railways, Ire' 1 land, announce the closing to passenger traffic of yet another branch railway line and its replacement by a bus service. From December 31, the company will cease running passenger trains on the line linking Patrickswell and Charleville, and from that date the present bus service running behveen Limerick and Cork city will be augmented to deal with the additional traffic,