BUS SERVICE SATIATION IN CAPE TOWN
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THE traffic committee of Cape Town Corporation reports that the development of bus services of the city within the past two years has increased so rapidly that saturation point has now
been reached. Consequently the time has now arrived when the question of limiting the issue of further licences is one which should receive serious consideration. In this connection attention is drawn to provisions of sub-sections (a) and (b) of section 2 of the Omnibus Traffic Central Ordinance, which vests in local authorities the power to make standing orders, subject to the personal approval of the Administrator, in regard to the following matters (a) To prohibit or restrict the plying for hire of any bus in any street, either generally or during particular hours, with the power to limit the aggregate number of journeys which may be made in either direction along any street during particular hours by a bus plying for hire.
(b) To determine the number of buses that may ply for hire on any public road or along any particular route, but so, nevertheless, that the right so to ply shall not be limited to the buses of one owner in any case where it appears to the Administrator to be reasonable and practicable that the right should be exercised by other owners also ; and •further so that the existing rights shall be respected so far as possible.
These powers the council has not yet exercised, but in addition thereto it is
pointed out that section 6 of Ordinance No. 19, of 1929, provides :— Notwithstanding anything in any other law contained, it shall be lawful for a local authority, which has satisfied itself after due investigation that the area under its control or any portion thereof is adequately and sufficiently served by existing modes of transport, to refuse to issue further licences in respect of buses.
In view of the foregoing the committee proposes to conduct an investigation with a view to drawing up a full and comprehensive report on the present bustransport facilities, and to submit definite recommendations in regard to the limitation of further licences.,
Passing Portsmouth's imposing town halt: the vehicle is one of the corporation's fleet of Thorny. croft type-BC 32-seater buses. This model was chosen to replace some Thorn ycroft J-type open double-deckers which had been QLASGOW stands high as a motoring centre, but it has no finer fleet of public conveyances than those owned by the Glasgow General Omnibus Co., Ltd. True, this concern has its chief offices at Hamilton, just outside the boundaries of the city, but it is looked upon as a characteristically Glasgow unit in the great array of motor companies with which Scotland is so amply provided.
It was founded in 1926 and immediately established communication with close upon a dozeu outposts in the Clyde area and for a considerable distance beyond. Its fleet of vehicles was, from the outset, of high quality, both as regards Comfort and running powers, and, from time to time, improvements were introduced and new conveyances purchased.
The business grew and flourished. but soon difficulties began to arise in the way of private transport concerns and, in the course of a couple of years, it became increasingly difficult for such
A Brief Survey of the Activities of the Glasgow General Omnibus Co., Ltd., Together With a Summary of its Fleet of Vehicles
enterprises to yield a fair dividend. The G.O.C. suffered in this respect as well as its many neighbours, but through it all it kept afloat, and to-day its numerous vehicles are among the most familiar buses in the Glasgow streets.
It began with 221 buses of the most stylish types, according to the standards of three or four years ago. At the time they comprised : 65 A.E.G. (" 413" chassis, with Metcalfe single-deck saloon rear-entrance bodies, seating 29-20) ; five A.E.C. ("409 "chassis with specialpattern double-deck bodies, seating 52) ; 50 A.D.C. ("416A " chassis, with rearentrance bodies, seating 32) ; five A.E.C.
(" 422" chassis with double-deck bodies, seating 51) ; 25 A.D.C. ("416A" chassis with rear-entrance bodies, seating 30) ; 20 Leyland Titan (with doubledeck bodies, seating 51), and, other makes, 51. Additions, as stated, have been made since, but substantially the rolling-stock is as here given and it admirably serves a wide and increasing public.
The districts reached by the 0.0.0. include (1) 4,Shotts, via Hamilton, Motherwell and Wishaw ; (2) Stratheven and Stonehouse, via Hamilton and
Larkhall ; (3) Lesmahagow ; (4) Netherburn, via Hamilton ; (5) Newmains, via Tolcross and Cambuslang ; (6) East Kilbride, via Rutherglen and Burnside ; (7) Newton, via Burnside, Cambuslang ; (8) Ballo* via Clydebank and Dalmuir, and (9) Duntocher. Throughout all these routes the scenery is of a picturesque character, for the Lowlands can boaat of landscapes that are particularly attractive. They are preferred by many visitors to the grander but wilder and more awesome views obtainable in the Highlands.
In their more northern runs, the G.O.C. buses tap some of the most magnificent stretches of country to he found north of the Border. They embrace the 'Valley of the Leven and the shores of Loch Lrimond.
The total mileage of the routes which they cover is in the vicinity of 200. The company's depots are numerous and handsome, and they are situated at Waterloo Street, Glasgow, at Hamilton,
• Stonehouse, Newmains, Larkhall, Shotts, Alexandria and at Balloe.l. Its authorized capital is £300,000 and its managing director is Mr. William Johnston Thomson. The directors have had under consideration the possibility of the railway companies acquiring an interest in the business of the G.O.C., and negotiations towards that end have been in progress for some time back. Working agreements have lately been arrived at between this concern and :Messrs. Alexander, Falkirk, one of the biggest and best-equipped motorbus undertakings in Central Scotland.