ANNOUNCEMENT ON FARES FOR LONDON SERVICES.
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AN important announcement concern
ing the fares to be charged on services radiating from certain sections of the Metiopolitan Area is made in gazette 98 of the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner.
The Metropolitan Commissioner, together with the South-Eastern and Southern Commissioners, has, as a result of representations from Regional Committees 1, 2 and 3, given notice of the fares to be charged to a large number of places.
Where the standard minimum dayreturn or period-return fare, to any place named in the schedule (see gazette 98) of any of the three committees, exceeds 4s., 6d. less may be charged for journeys frRm that place to any point in the Metropolitan Polide District, outside the Metropolitan boroughs, but within the sector formed by the lateral boundaries of the committee region, including certain districts named in the gazette mentioned.
NEW RETURN TICKET ENFORCED BY MR. STIRK.
THE chairman of the East Midland
Traffic Commissioners, Mr. J. H. Stirk, has made it clear that in no circumstances can a return ticket be used for two journeys in the same direction. To prevent the continuance of this practice, all East Midland operators must, after March 1 next, issue tickets notifying passengers of the condition attaching to the use of return tickets.
BASIS OF PARES INCREASES.
THE probable scale upon which in creases in fares would be allowed has been announced by Sir John Maxwell, chairman of the Northern Traffic Commissioners. There would be no increase in fares of 1d. to 4d.; id. increase in fares of 4id. to 10d.; id. increase in fares of lOid. to 1s. 8d.; and, generally, an increase of id. for each further 10d. The Commissioners are prepared to grant an increase of 7i per cent. on 32-journey tickets, but considered that the basis of calculating season-ticket
rates should remain unaltered. Individual applications will be heard by the Commissioners on February 7.
CROYDON ASSOCIATION: FIRST YEAR'S SUCCESSFUL WORKING.
THE first annual dinner and dance of the Croydon and District Motor Coach Owners Association was held last Tuesday, under the chairmanship of Mr. Bourne.
Mr. H. G. Williams, M.P., made an interesting point when he said in his speech that the railways have more shareholders than employees. He referred to the unfairness of the Salter Report and gave it as his impression that the report would be adopted in a modified form. He expressed himself in opposition to the London Passenger Transport Bill and the monopoly that it seeks to create, but he pointed out that the measure, with various revisions, would probably become law.
Mr. Bourne outlined the formation of the Association, referring to the London Passenger Transport Bill and the Salter Renort, as well as stressing the value of co-operation.
Mr. S. D. Oddy, hon. secretary, paid particular tribute to the work of Major B40 J. B. Elliott and Mr. F. A. Flin, of the M.1FLC. S.A.
Major Elliott maintained that the London traffic problem was caused by buses and not coaches, as was proved during the recent strike. He did not think that the taxation on passenger vehicles would be increased. Mr. Flirt's speech was well up to his usual witty standard.
DEATH OF MR. FINGLAND.
WE regret to announce the death of Mr. C. Fingland, owner of Finglands. Bookings and Coach Stations, 'Ltd., Manchester, which occurred on Monday last. We understand that he had been ill for about 10 days. The business will continue to be operated as hitherto.
SHEFFIELD BUS PURCHASE: THE Sheffield authority 'has sealed agreements with Messrs. Barlow and Fisher and H. Thrale and Co., in connection with the purchase of those undertakings' bus services.
BUS DUPLICATION: A WARNING.
A WARNING concerning the opera
tion of duplicate buses was given last week by Mr. A. Henderson, chairman of the Southern Scotland Traffic Commissioners. He said that hitherto the Commissioners had permitted duplication over parts of routes, where there was a demand for extra vehicles. They had never insisted that duplicate buses should cover the whole journey, but if this privilege were abused they would have to do so.
These vehicles must precede service buses, so that there was no possibility of their taking custom rightfully belonging to the operator of a following vehicle.
BUS BUSINESS FOR SALE.
OFFERS are being invited by Mr. J. Wallace Williams, St. Andrews Crescent, Cardiff, for the purchase, subject to the purchaser securing licences from the Traffic Commissioners, of the four bus services at present run by him as trustee of the creditors of Messrs. Jones Bros., Aberystwyth (under a deed of assignment).
The routes are as follow :—(a) Aberystyvyth-Borth (one bus) ; (b) Aberystwyth-Goginan-Ponterwyd (one
bus) ; (e) Aberystwyth-AberayronLampeter (three buses) ; (d) Aberystwyth-Tregaron (one bus).
SUCCESSFUL HIGHWAYS FUNCTION.
A PLEASANT evening was spent by
members and friends of Highways, Ltd., the well-known London coachoperating concern, at a dance at the Porchester Hall, London, last Tuesday. Mr. E. W. Harris, one of the directors, did his best to make all feel at home. POTTERIES FARES INCREASES POSTPONED.
EVENTS in the Potteries have moved rapidly since, as reported in last week's issue, the West Midland Traffic Commissioners decided to grant the applications of local bus operators to abolish coupon fares.
As we stated last week, Stoke-onTrent Corporation decided to appeal against this ruling, but the Commissioners refused to suspend the operation of increased fares pending the appeal. 'This resulted in a protest to the Commissioners and • to the Ministry of Transport, and the Commissioners have now agreed to postpone, from 'February 18 until April 2, the increase in fares.
The corporation alleged that the refusal to suspend the introduction of higher fares, pending the hearing of the appeal, was contrary to the intention of the Road Traffic Act, lint the Commissioners denied this.
LICENCES REFUSED PENDING PASSING OF RHONDDA BILL.
THE South Wales Commissioners, announcing their reserved decision on the applications, made some time ago, by Thomas White and Co., Cardiff, and the Rhondda Tramways Co., Ltd., for Rhondda Valley services, dismiss both applications.
The reason is that Rhondda Urban District Council, the real passengertransport pioneer of the area (although it leasesits tramways rights, to the Rhondda Tramways Co.) has now a Bill before Parliament for sanction to abandon the trams and run buses.. It would, therefore, in the Commissioners' view, be unfair to sanction other services at the moment.
ANOTHER EASTERN TRANSFER.
THE Eastern Traffic Commissioners
transferred, last week, a licence for the Grays-Nutberry Avenue route from the Leighton Coach Co. to the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd. Opposition was offered by Mr. E. Adams, who had previously operated the service and had sold it to the Leighton concern. His objection was, however, ruled out of order.
MUNICIPAL OPERATION OUTSIDE BOUNDARY.
THE right of the Commissioners to sanction a municipal bus service outside the boundary of a local authority not possessing an Act of Parliament specifically authorizing it was questioned at the Aberdare sitting of the South Wales Traffic Commissioners. This point may be the subject of an appeal against theCommissioners' Ab6erdare Urban District Council sought to operate an Aberdare-NewtownMountain Ash service. Objectors pointed out that Aberdare's powers allowed operation only within its boundary. They contended that the Road Traffic Act did not remove the need for a local authority possessing a special Act of Parliament for this purpose.
Mr. A. T. James, K.C., chairman of the Commissioners, said they held themselves empowered to licence outside municipal boundaries, although the local authority had not obtained a Parliamentary Act. They would grant the licence sought.