NEW BUS POWERS FOR GLASGOW CORPORATION.
Page 61
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Some Notes from our Glasgow Correspondent which Deal with Bus-traffic Conditions.
MANY important changes are expected relating to Glasgow motorbus traffic as a result of the agreement which was reached at a recent sitting of the local legislation committee of the House of Commons, whereby Glasgow is to be placed in the same position as other municipalities in the British Isles so far as the licensin of buses is concerned.
The main effect of the arrangement is that buses defined as "stage coaches" will be brought within the scope of the city licensing regulations. It is further anticipated that under the additional powers now granted the magistrates of Glasgow will be able to specify stances and routes for buses proceeding to points outside the city boundary, and will he able to deal more stringently with those owners not possessing stage-carriage licences and who persist in picking up and setting down short-distance passengers inside 'the city.
Should the magistrates decide to alter existing stances and routesa peculiar situation will arise. Many of the larger bus companies have opened up premises in the vicinity of the present sites. Up to now it has been held that bus companies were entitled to run vehicles to their headquarters, and this has resulted in bus traffic proceeding along thoroughfares which the city authorities had intended to keep elear.'
The opinion is now being expressed that this practice Will be stopped, and the bus owners are speculating as to the provisions that the magistrates will make within the city for private bus traffic. Whatever changes are made one point is certain—there will be a tightening-up of the regulations, and long-distance vehicles will not be allowed to compete with the corporation transport services in the city area. In an interview a prominent municipal official expressed the view that it was difficult to form an opinion of the agreement, for although it certainly gave much-needed additional powers to the corporation the full text was not yet known. At the best, however, he considered the additional powers were much short of being sufficient entirely to alter the unsatisfactory bus-traffic conditions in the city. At the next meeting of the corporation, he said, further proposals would be submitted with a view to asking Parliarffent for powers of monopoly relating to road passenger traffic within the area now served by the corporation. In his opinion, private buses should not be permitted to enter the central area. There should be bus termini in the north, south, east and west for non-city traffic.