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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
NO ALL-DAY TICKETS FOR EDINBURGH
ON September 23 Edinburgh Corporation Public Utilities Committee rejected, by 32 votes to 5, a proposal to introduce all-day shilling tickets on corporation transport routes. Councillor Ballantyne, making the proposal, said that such tickets were issued in -England and had benefited passengers and transport officials alike. He suggested a six-months experiment with them.
The transport department reported that it was difficult to find out if such
tickets paid. Every passenger who bought one expected to gain from it. An official of London Transport had said that the. public had been taking an unfair advantage of them. The chairman, Councillor Walter Muter, said that it had had no definite information as to how these tickets worked elsewhere. It was all problematical. The duty of the department was to give the longest possible distance for the lowest possible fare. This system might be introduced and difficulty thereafter might be experienced in abandoning it. The matter will again be raised at the town council meeting.
CHEAP TAXIS FOR DUNDEE.
ANEW combine, known as Tay Taxis, Ltd., this week commenced a new service of taxis in Dundee. The fleet, which comprises 10 Austin 12-4 cars, Will not ply for hire, but must be booked by telephone. The fare will be Sci. per mile and 2d. for each subsequent quarter-mile, irrespective of the hour. number of passengers, or amount of luggage carried.
DOUBLE-DECK BUSES FOR DUNFERMLINE.
AT a sitting of the Northern Scotland Traffic Commissioners. at Dunfermline, last week, it was stated, on behalf of W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., that arrangements were being made for the running of double-deck buses between Dunfermline and Charlestown. The service would be ready to operate by November 1.
A RECORD IN PRIVATECONTRACT OUTINGS. ()NE of the largest private-contract 44.-/ coach outings on record was that handled, on Saturday last, by Charles Wood, Ltd., of Brighouse, Yorkshire The party consisted of 1,300 employees of J. Blakeborough and Sons, Ltd., of Brighouse, who were taken on a day trip to Blackpool. The convoy comprised 46 coaches and, t.11 were got away within 25 minutes. The respective police forces of the West Riding and Lancashire co-operated to the extent of introducing manual control of the traffic lights, thus greatly facilitating the passage of the long line of coaches through those areas.
All coaches hired, to supplement the fleet operated by Charles Wood, Ltd., were supplied by other independent operators in Yorkshire. The vehicles used were A.E.C.s, Leylands and Albions.
EDINBURGH BUS STATION TO COST £150,000.
THE erection of a large, central bus station, on a site adjacent to St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, is under contemplation by the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., and it is understood that negotiations for the acquisition of property. -covering the site are almost completed. The cost of the scheme will probably be in the region of £.150,000. ' As a result of this enterprise, St. Andrew Square itself will cease to be used as a bus station, and a difficult problem, which has been before the company and Edinburgh Town Council for several years, will be solved. The site of the proposed station is bounded by St. Andrew Square on the west, Clyde Street on the north, and Elder Street on the east, and is only 300 yards from the general post office. It is planned to provide a large building without greatly altering the appearance of any of the principal streets in the vicinity, whilst the site conforms well with present traffic arrangements within the city.
UNION'S OBJECTION TO TROLLEYBUSES
MEMBERS of the National Union of Vehicle Builders and other trade unions, employed by Glasgow Corporation, are objecting to the proposed trolleybus experiments in Glasgow on the grounds that focal unemployment would be caused by their introduction, Tramcars are built locally by municipal employees, but trolleybuses would have to be bought from independent concerns. Glasgow Transport Committee has postponed its decision for two weeks. It is generally expected' that the matter will be shelved until after the municipal elections in November.
" UNITED." TAKES OVER THREE OPERATORS.
THE tours and excursions services
operated by Kelly and Co„ from Bearpark; Mooney Bros., from Old Esh; and F. J. Woodward, from Esh Winning, are to be taken over by United Automobile Services, Ltd., of Darlington.
APPEALS HEARING COSTS £2,264.
WHEN a report of the hearing of the IfIr recent appeal by the Western and Southern National Omnibus companies, against the Western Area Traffic Commissioners' decision, relative to the companies' use of Plymouth Corporation's bus station, in Tavistock Road, was presented to Plymouth Special Purposes Committee, on September 16, it was stated that the legal costs amounted to £2,264.
SOUTH SHIELDS AND FIVE-YEAR PLAN
AFIVE-YEAR plan for extending the trolleybus and motorbus systems, which has been prepared by the transport • manager, Mr. H. J. Troughton, has been approved by South Shields Transport Committee. The committee has referred, to a subcommittee, a scheme for the removal of-alleged anomalies and adjustment of fares on routes operated by the corporation.
" NATIONAL" COMPANIES BODY ORDERS TOTAL 180,000.
"THE securing, for the fourth year in I succession, of a contract for the building of bus and coach bodies for the Western and Southern National Omnibus companies, at its motor body building factory at Billacombe, is announced by W. Mumford, Ltd., Of the Abbey Garage, St. Andrew Street, Plymouth. For the past two years this concera has supplied the whole of the bus body requirements of the Western and Southern companies, the orders thus received representing a total of about £80,000.
LOWEST TENDERS NOT ACCEPTED IN BRIGHTON.
THE question of Brighton's trolleybuses was discussed at a meeting of Brighton Town Council, on Thursday of last week. The special transport committee recommended' the acceptance of tenders far 44 trolleybuses, and 21 oil-enginecl vehicles. It was revealed that the lowest tenders submitted had not been accepted, the reasons not being disclosed. COUIIcillor Field asked the council to sanction an increase in the number cf trolleybuses from 44 to 60, the reason beingthat the local operating company might possibly invite the corporation to operate over its bus routes.
Alderman Galliers, who seconded this request, stated that the trolleybuses, to some small extent, and the motorbusesfor certain, would be operating by April of next year.
A reference back of the report was moved, and Councillor Ingham, who seconded the reference back, stated that sufficient reasons had not been given for the turning down of the lowest tender submitted, which was 1346 ,
£114 per vehicle lower than the one accepted. Alderman Black, replying, stated that, in this case, the lowest tender could not be considered to he the deciding factor. The reference back was lost.
The Fair Wages Clause was mentioned in the discussion on the acceptance of a tender from Thomas Harrington (Hove), Ltd., for 11 double-deck bus bodies. After a lengthy discussion it was agreed that the tender should be accepted, provided the committee was satisfied as to the wages paid.
The tenders which were recommended to be accepted were submitted hy:—The Associated Equipment Co.,
Ltd., for 44, 64-seater trolleybuses and 21 motorbus chassis; Thomas Harrington (Hove), Ltd., for 11 motorbus bodies; Metropolitan-Ca.mmellWeymann, Ltd., for 10, 54-seater, allmetal motorbus bodies.
SEASON TICKETS PLEA IN GLASGOW.
THE Scottish Legal Assurance agents' branch of the Amalgamated Union of Life Assurance Workers has sent a resolution to Glasgow Transport Committee, in favour of weekly season tickets for the -tram and underground services.
Weekly tickets, it is said, have been successful on the bus services. The subject is being considered by the committee, and an early decision is likely.
BRITISH BUILT BUSES FOR UGANDA
THE first British-built buses to be sent to Uganda were recently shipped by Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., Edgware Road, The Hyde, Hendon, London, N.W.9. These machines, which form the first consignment of a large contract, have been built to the order of Overseas Motor Transport, Ltd., and will he operated, in East Africa. by the Uganda Transport Co., Ltd., formed expressly, for this purpose.
The Albion, long-wheelbase chassis, which have been specially built to meet thedemands of local operating conditions, are powered by Gardner fourcylinderocl oil engines, with Gruss air springs for chassis suspension at the front.
Iroko timber is used in the construction of the Duple bodies, with panelling in steel and aluminium. Provision is made for seating $1 passengers, the body space being divided into two compartments, one, first-class, accommodates five Europeans and the other for natives.
It is 'of interest to know that these buses will operate around Lake Victoria —the largest lake in the world—having an area of 54,000 square miles.
In addition to this particular fleet of Albions, six Albion Valkyrie, Gardnerengined, 35-seaters are being supplied.