TRAMS V. BUSES.
Page 39
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Extension of Nottingham's Tramways Against Public Opinion.
D EGARDLES6 apparently of a grow ing volume of public opinion antagonistic to the deveaopment of a policy of tramway extension, the Nottingham Corporation has given notice ot Its intention to revive a scheme which embodies a further important elaboration of means of communication upon rigid lines. The failure to gnasp the possibilities of motorbus traffic within the city has been in itself a sufficient cause of irritation, but the mischief threatens to be aggravated now in relation to one of the most important of the extra municipal areas, Beeston having been selected as the objective, this being by fas the ktrgest residential centre within the vicinity of the county town. Originally, the when* was brought forward contemporaneously with the project for the eatension of the Nottingham boundaries, which would have brought within the city's adininistrative scope a territory which has been notable for many important industrial operations, of which one of the beet known, prior to transference to Coventry, was the -Humber Cycle works. But there being vigorous opposition annexation proposals, the city authorities marked their disappointment by withdrawing the tramway plans, which are now being revived in a way which threatens to lead, to a sharp conflict of opinion between the borough and the county authorities as to the relative
merits of .busee and trains. • .
Apart from its local bearing, the case presents general interest by reason of the fact that upon the corporation's application for Parliamentary powers, the Notts. County Council will raise the point as to whether buses are .not, the snore suitable means of locomotion for passenger-carrying purposes. .
The matter was brought under consideration at the last meeting of the county administrative body quite recently, under the presidency of Viscount Galway, who has exercised a potent influence upon legislation affecting 'highway control. The result, of the deliberations of the Notts. Council seems, there. from, to warrant the anticipation that, failing the municipalities' own inability or einwillingnem to recognize that buses afford the more reasonable means of extending communication, the. county authorities may themselves be as succe,ssfui in enforcing that view as they were in formulating their original objec
tions to the extension scheme.
It was reported that, despite a previous undertaking by the Corporation only to ran bases. to Brieston, the city had now made application to the Ministry of Transport to extend the time for the completion of the tramway and street works authorized by the Act of 1903; The application was made under special powers given by Parliament to meet war emergencies. Notice of objection on behalf of the County Council had been presented on the groun3 that ttheiapplication was an abuse of the Special Aote (Extension of Time), 1915, to apply for Powers which only a few months ago the Corporation failed to obtain from
Parliament, and which flhey formally undertook to strike out of their Bill,
thereby securing the withdrawal of the petition of the county authorities. Power was now given the committee to
take ad necessary steps to resist the application of the Corporation.
Sharp criticism of present unsatisfactory tramway arrangements in Nottingham has been emphasized, during the recent municipal contests, especiallyby Labour candidates, it being complained that not only are the services inadequate, particularly during the rush hours,but the fares are excessive, being, with the single exception of Bournemouth, the highest of any in the country. Nottingham's minimum tram Tare is 1C1., and the Labour nominees are advocating wholesale reductions upon all routes, with an acceleration, in regard to time, and an increase in numbers of cars which have long been needed.
But this obviously, if effected, can only meet the difficulties as far as main routes are concerned, aneequally exigent claim being for the extension of the bus system to districts for which the present rigid rail system makes no direct provision, and for improvements also which are clearly capable of accomplishment in the plaieunder which the present attenuated bus service is being run.