BUS OPERATION IN THE SCOTTISH CAPITAL.
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The Operation of Municipal Buses in Edinburgh Shows a Good Profit During the Past Year.
Tmunicipal authorities in Edinburgh have been using motorbuses for a number of years and the size of their present fleet, coupled with the fact that additions are frequently being made to it, indicates the important part which such vehicles are now playing in the Passenger transport arrangements of the City. Actually the corporation commenced the operation of road motor services in july, 1914. but the outbreak of the war brought them to a hasty end, following the impressment of the vehicles, and regular busservices were not resumed until the end of 1919. In the seven complete municipal years which have elapsed since that time the Edinburgh Corporation has built up a large motor fleet, and up to the end uf the period (May 15th) covered by the latest annual report of Mr. B. Stuart Pitcher, M.Tnat.T., the tramways manager, 98 vehicleS were in stock.
The single-deck bus is chiefly used for meeting local transport needs, 74 of this type, each to seat 31 people, being in use, whilst six 54-seater double-deckers are run. As may he known to many, there is a motor coaching side to the activities of the Edinburgh authorities, and 18 coaches—nine 27-seaters, six 32seaters and three 14-SeatersL—are employed for sight-seeing excursions and tours. Considerable additions are being made to the existing fleet, and on January 6th last the town council authorized the purchase of 20 new buses. Fourteen of these vehicles are single-deck 32-seaters. and he chaRis chosen is the Leyland Lion, whilst some of the bodies are being built in the works of John Croall and Sons, Ltd., of Edinburgh, and Hall, Lewis and Co., Ltd., Park Royal, London, N.W.10.
That the authorities are keeping abreast of the times is further indicated by the fact that six six-wheeled Karrier buses are also on order, and we recently saw several of the bodies for these vehicles under construction in the works of Hall, Lewis and Co., Ltd. Some of these new buses have already been commissioned for service.
During the past year several extensions have been made to existing bus routes; some of these serving new housing estates. The total mileage of regular service routes was about 46 in May last.
We will now proceed to a brief analysis of the statistical returns relating to the operation of the motorbuses during the year. The capital expenditure up to date on buses and garages for them has been £245,585, of which sum £208,897 has been paid off. The revenue from the buses amounted
to £133,385, an increasenearly £10,000 as compared with th figure for the previous year. The total working expenses were £125,720, so that the balance carried to the net revenue account amounted to £7,665. This sum was reduced by 12,250 after meeting charges in respect of interest and contribution to sinking fund (less interest received), so that the profit on the year's working of the buses was £5,415, equivalent to .5874. per bus-mile. This must be considered highly satisfactory, especially as the profit is £3,481 in excess of that for the previous year.
The bus revenue account shows outgoings under the following headings:— Traffic expenses, 160,506; generalexpenses, £11,115; cost of repairs and in a in t en anc e, £30,585 (chassis, R6,n48; bodies, £5,350; tyres, £6,357; buildings and plant, 12,530), purchase of petrol, 123,513 (2.5481 per busmile). The item which was responsible for the largest disbursement was wages, the amount being £38,350.
The total working expenses per hnsmile were 13.6241., and, the total income 14455d. The percentage of working expenses to revenue was 94.25. The total revenue on both trams and buses was £874,055, an increase of £31,667 over the figure for the preceding twelve months. The net surplus on the working of the tramcars was 129,465. • During the year the buses covered an aggregate mileage of 2,214,606 and carried 19.455,030 passengers. The average mileage per day covered. by by each bus was 110, and the average speed maintained was '8.25 m.p.h., the latter being only a / m.p.h. lower than the corresponding return for the trams. The average fare paid per Passenger was 1.563d. the average fare per le being .994c1., whilst 8.78 passengers were carried on an average for every mile run, The tabulation, published below, gives certain interesting particulars concerning the working of the buses daring the past Seven years :—