Leigh—S.L.T. .Battle Continues
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THE only -traffic to which Leigh Corporation had any claim on the proposed new Leigh-Bolton service were the 117,000 passengers who never' left the borough, Mr. H. Backhouse told the North Western Traffic Commissioners at Manchester on Tuesday.
The Commissioners continued hearing of the South Lanes Transport application to replace trolleybuses by motorbuses between Leigh and Bolton (The Commercial Motor, March 22).
Mr. J. Booth, for Leigh Corporation. submitted that the 1928 agreement was entered into with a proviso that if at any time the tram track ceased to be operated, the corporation bus arca should be extended. Any intention that, when trams were replaced by buses, the route should remain with S.L.T. would have been expressed in clause 5.
The company had enjoyed substantial benefits for 30 years and all the corporation were asking was that one of the benefits agreed in 1928 should now come to them.
Mr. Backhouse said that in 1928, in circumstances totally . different from those today, there was a tripartite agreement. S.L.T. had statutory protection from the corporation, but in order to assist Lancashire United Transport, they gave way in certain matters, enabling L.U.T. and Leigh to settle differences which were nearly as acute as the present one.
The result did not give S.L.T. a yard of territory, nor had they ever received a penny piece from the corporation. If decision now went against S.L.T., Leigh ' would secure £10,000 a year out of fares paid by the public without paying compensation.
The hearing continued.
NEW ENGINE FOR 3-TYPE
THE Morris J-type van now has a 11-litre overhead-valve engine and a four-speed gearbox. The new engine develops 42 b.h.p. at 4,000 r.p.m., an increase of 6 b.h.p. compared with the side-valve unit.
Known as the J/B 10-cwt. van, the modified vehicle is sold at the same basic price as the former model, but purchase tax has been provisionally levelled at £71 14s. 7d. This is 12s. 8d. more than previously.
SAFER DRIVEAS
DRIVERS of the Perth District of British Railways are the first winners in the Scottish Region of the cup donated by the Company of Veteran Motorists. It is awarded to commercialvehicle drivers in the district which best improves its safety record. Runners-up in Scotland were drivers of the Aberdeen District.
Gloucester drivers secured the award in the Western Region and Newcastle upon Tyne drivers in the North-eastern Region.