Universal 2d. Minimum Fare a Stage Nearer ?
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LTHOUGH some undertakings are making strenuous efforts to z-lavoid the necessity of a 2d. minimum adult single fare, latest reports indicate that the battle against rising costs is forcing many operators to consider introducing it.
Eastbourne Corporation has received permission from the South: Eastern Licensing Authority to remove the last Id. fares from its tables, including 42 which had been reduced from lid., last July, when charges were revised.
The general manager, Mr. I. Atherton, declared at the hearing that it was no longer possible to operate economically on Id. fares. "We gave full trial to the theory that by making fares as cheap as possible we should get the revenue by sheer weight of numbers. But the Id, fares have not worked out that way at all," he said. The estimated deficiency for the current year was £8,287; the .new rates, which become effective on July 13, should augment revenue by £7,916. Ten. ser
vices are affected. • At a hearing before the NorthWestern Licensing Authority, last Friday, Stockport Corporation, applying for permission to add id. to some 1 id. and 2d. fares, to all fares from 2id. to 4id., and Id. thereafter, revealed that without higher charges the undertaking would lose £6,000 a month after August. A deficit of £54,250 was estimated for the current year.
Only 17 per cent of the Id. fares and 33 per cent, of the 2d. fares are affected by the application, decision on which was deferred. It was stated that since March, 1950, wages had increased by £31,720 a year, and this year's Budget had raised fuel costs by almost £20,000.
Applications Granted
Decision on the applications of the Southern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., and the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., for permission to add id, to single fares' from Id. to 5d., Id. to those between -6d, and is., and from 2d. to 64. "to higher -denomination fares," has now been given. The increases proposed for single fares have been granted, and the changes in returnticket calculations, based on a sliding scale, have been approved. The proposal to limit return tickets to a minimum of 9d. has, however, been rejected.
Warrington Corporation's application to raise 2id. fares to 3d., to add to workmen's returns, and to make other changes, has been refused by the North-Western Licensing Authority. He expressed the opinion that by limiting the range of tickets so that lid. was-the minimum charge and the next one 3d., the undertaking might lose more revenue than it would gain from augmented rates.
The West Midland Licensing Authority last week considered applications from operators running special works services. In one case, 24 operators, running 35 services to the works of the Austin Motor Co., Ltd., Birmingham, proposed an increase of 331 per
A.32 cent, on some fares. Decision was reserved after objectors had suggested that the vehicles used were overcrowded, that drivers were not paid union rates, and that the services were subsidized by week-end operation. The applicants' case was that the workers travelling on these services were a privileged, class, because they travelled at lower rates than those who used other companies' services.
In the other case, Messrs. Wards Luxury Coaches, Bromsgrove, applied for augmented fares on a service to a works for which, until April this year, the operators had received a subsidy of 25s. per vehicle. A representative of the concern to whose works the vehicles ran, objected to the application, but the Authority expressed his satisfaction with it.
To Save £17,000 a Year
• . Economies of 117,000 a year, includ ing a reduction of the fleet from 287 to 260 vehicles, and higher single and return fares from 21d, upwards are being considered this week by Coventry City Council. The undertaking is expected to have a deficit of £41,000 this year and of 170,000 next year, The new fares proposed will augment revenue, it is estimated, by 194,000 a year. Fares last went up in March this One of the few undertakings stilt offering a id. adult single fare, Rotherham Corporation is to apply for permission to add id. to all single fares up' to 8d., and Id. to those over 8d. This application is the first one for an increase on' the basic fares to be Made by the undertaking for 27 years.
Revised single and return fares in line with those recently introduced by Rhondda Transport co., Ltd., have been applied for by Caerphilly Urban District Council and West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board. Nine services are affected by the Caerphilly application, which also seeks to abolish workmen's fares.
NEW REAR LAMP
ANEW type of rear lamp has been introduced by Judella Castings, Ltd., 387b, Rayners Lane, Pinner, Middx. The backplate is of cast aluminium and the cover is a Diakon moulding. Three bulbs are fitted, two wired in parallel and one a stop lamp.
Selling at £1 13s. without bulbs, the lamp has been designed in anticipation of legislation regarding the rear lighting of commercial vehicles. It is known as the Della.