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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
CONTRACT-CARRIAGE LAW TO BE AMENDED: NEW CLAUSES.
AT last the long-awaited amendanent to the contract-carriage section of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, has materialized. The following is the text of the two clauses which the Minister of Transport is to insert in the new Road Traffic Bill.
For the purposes of the proviso to sub-section (2) of Section 61 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, a vehicle shall be deemed to be used on a special occasion for the conveyance of a private party where it is used on a journey in relation to which the following conditions are satisfied and not otherwise (that is to say) (a) arrangements for the bringing together of all the passengers for the purpose of making the journey as a party must have been made by some person, not being the holder of a public-service-vehicle licence in respect of the vehicle or a person acting on behalf of the holder of such a licence, or a person who receives remuneration in respect of those arrangements ; (b) the journey must be made without previous advertisement to the public of the arrangements therefor ;
(c) all the passengers must, in the case of a journey to a particular destination, be carried to, or to the vicinity of, that destination, or, in the case of a tour, be carried for the greater part of the journey ;
(d) no differentiation of fares for the journey on the basis of distance or of time must be made;
(e) in the case of a journey to a particular destination the passengers must not include any person who frequently, or as a matter of routine, travels, at or about the time of day at which the journey is made, to that destination from a place from or through which the journey is made.
B42
Where, under a transaction effected by or on behalf of a member of a society, on the one hand, and the society or another member thereof, on the other hand, a person is carried as a passenger in a motor vehicle in such circumstances that he would be deemed to be carried for hire or reward, if the transaction has been effected otherwise than as aforesaid, then, notwithstanding any rule of law, he shall for the purposes of the principal Act and of this Act be deemed to be carried for hire or reward.
In this section the expression " society " means any association of persons, whether incorporated or not.
TROLLEYBUSES REPLACE MOTORBUSES.
WE are informed by Mr. C. Owen Silvers, M.I.E.E., M.Inst.T., Wolverhampton Corporation's transport manager, that the municipal motorbus route from the centre of the town to Oxbarn Avenue—a distance of about 21 miles—has beenconverted to trolleybus operation.
COAtH TOURS IN L.N.E.R. '!CRUISES."
COACH tours will play an important part in the four train cruises to Scotland, which will be inaugurated by the London and North Eastern Railway Co. on June 1. Seven coach tours altogether • are included in the itinerary, which occupies a week.
SHOULD CORPORATIONS HAVE FIRST OPTION OF PURCHASE?
AN important point with reference to the sale of a bus service by one company to another was raised at the hearing of an appeal, in Leeds.
The Halifax Joint Omnibus Committee appealed against the granting by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners to the Yorkshire (Woollen District) Electric Tramways, Ltd., of a licence to operate a local bus service between Halifax and Lower Edge and Halifax and Rastrick, formerly operated by Messrs. Slater and Son.
The Committee was willing to operate the service over the remainder of the route not already served by it. It could, the Committee claimed, do so more economically and satisfactorily than the company at present operating the service, which had no legal interest inthe route. The Committee was, it was stated, willing to purchasethe service, but the tramways company had done this first.
The respondent argued that it would be wrong for the Traffic Commissioners to disturb a contract properly entered into and to refuse the company a licence which was, in effect, a transfer of an existing licence. Halifax Corporation did not know Messrs. Slater's service was in the market at the time it was bought by the company. What right had the corporation to claim the first option to buy up an operator?
MORE BUSES FOR LEEDS? ,
A PROPOSAL that Leeds Corporation's transport committee be authorized to accept tenders for the supply of buses, as required to meet the development of the transport services, at a total cost not exceeding 50,000, was submitted to Leeds City Council, on Wednesday.
COACH OWNERS FORM STANDING • COMMITTE E.
THERE has just been formed, with 1 headquarters at Manchester, a joint standing committee of representatives of coach operators in the North-Western Area.
Associations represented at the inaugural meeting were :—Blackpool and District Motor Coach Owners Association, Morecambe and District Motor Coach Owners Association, East Lancashire Road Transport Association, Burnley Road Transport Association, and Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners Association. Co-operation has also been promised by the North Western Area United Bus Owners Association and the Bolton Motor Coach Owners Association.
Mr. J. S. Howarth has been appointed hon. secretary. Each association will be entitled to elect two representatives.
OPERATORS TO DISCUSS PRIVATE HIRE.
OOPERATORS in Lancashire and are invited to attend a meeting at the Memorial Hall, Albert Square, Manchester, on May 7, at 2.30 p.m., when the difficulties that will arise if staff outings and similar excursions have to be licensed by the Commissioners will be discussed.
It is hoped that the meeting will elect a representative committee to formulate plans to show the public the effect of proposed restrictions on the industry, to meet the Ministry of -Transport and to request amendments to the Road Traffic Bill, to permit the more reasonable operation of passenger transport by roaff.
MINISTER'S DECISION ON LLANELLY PROTECTION ISSUE.
DECISIONS on a large number of appeals by the Llanelly and District Electric Supply Co., Ltd., against the action of the South Wales Traffic Commissioners in allowing certain other operators to work services over the company's trolleybus routes, have been announced by the Minister of Transport. The bearing of the appeals was reported in The Commercial Motor, when it was stated that they raised the question of protection and the provisions of the Llanelly District Traction Act, 1930.
In so far as the bus operators concerned are legally entitled to run services in competition with the trolleybus services, the Minister considers that adequate protection has been afforded.
It is difficult to interpret the local Act, because a number of the provisions has now become ineffective. The Minister considers, however, that an operator who can claim the benefit of certain provisions of the Act is not prohibited, by it from running any service on a protected route, so long as he does not employ, at any time, a greater -number of vehicles than was necessarily used in the actual operation of the service during the standard period. There appears to be no
reference in the Act to the frequency of a service.
He cannot definitely decide whether any licence granted infringes the local Act, but he has made an Order on the Commissioners to alter the conditions, if necessary, to bring them into line with the statute.
SCOTTISH OPERATOR DEAD.
THE death has occurred, at the age of 53 years, of Mr. Andrew Roger Young, a director of William Young, Ltd., and of Young's Bus Services, Paisley. He came to Ayr in 1919, when his company took over the business of the late Mr. John D. Gemmell. He was a pioneer of local bus services in Ayr.
BUS STATION FOR GRIMSBY.
GRIMSBY Corporation recommends the construction of a bus station at Brighowgate, at a cost of £0,000. The scheme includes the provision of shelters, shops, workshops and offices.
UNECONOMIC FARE ADMITTED.
AN admission that the fares are uneconomic was made when the Yorkshire (Woollen District) Electric Tramways, Ltd., appealed against the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners' decision to allow Halifax Jcint Omnibus Committee to charge children's fares of Td. for any distance on the Brighouse-Halifax and Brighouse-Lower Edge routes.
The opposition admitted that the fares were uneconomic, but on the Halilax-Brighouse route buses had replaced trams, on which children had formerly been granted id. fares. Many local authorities favoured the Id. ticket .for children.
ULSTER RAILWAYS BUY 92 BUS SERVICES.
REPLYING to a question recently asked in the Northern Ireland House of Commons, the Minister of Commerce stated that, up to the present, the railway companies in (Aster had acquired the services of 42 owners, affecting 92 routes.
FARES BASIS RAISED ON APPEAL.
WHETHER the fares charged on town-to-town buses should be on the same basis as those of local stagecarriage services was a point raised at the hearing of an appeal at Leeds, a few days ago. Halifax Corporation and Halifax Joint Omnibus Committee appealed against the granting of licences to the Yorkshire (Woollen District) Electric Tramways, Ltd., North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., and Ripponden and District Motors, Ltd., for the Halifax-Rishworth route.
The corporation claimed that there should be different scales of fares for what were essentially local services. The opposition suggested that, since 1930, Halifax Corporation had believed that, in some way, municipalities could claim a toll from other operators in their area, as a condition of their being allowed to continue their services. "SPECIAL OCCASION": HIGH COURT RULING.
ADECISION of the Castle Eden (Durham) justices in favour of Trimdon Motor Services Ltd., Trimdon, and Mr. George Lonsdale, secretary of the Trirndon branch of the Labour Society, was challenged before Lord Hewart and Justices Avory and Mackinnon in a King's Bench Divisional Court, towards the end of last week.
Members of Mr. Lonsdale's branch of the Labour Society clubbed together for a seven-days' holiday at Blackpool, last August, and he hired the coach as a contract carriage. The question was whether the excursion to Blackpool during Bank Holiday week could be
called a special occasion. The Justices held that it could and dismissed the summonses.
The appellant contended that a week's holiday was not a special occasion contemplated by the Act, but that those words referred only to an event in the place visited. Bank Holiday week was not more special than many other holiday weeks in Blackpool, and, in any event, he argued that the members of this party went primarily for a week's holiday, and not of necessity to see the illuminations at the resort.
It was also submitted that the party was not a private one, because provision was made for the carriage of twci people who were not members of the Club, but who did not, in the end, travel on the coach.
In reply, it was submitted that, as this particular week in Blackpool was the week of the year that was a special occasion.
Allowing the appeal with costs, Lord liewart said the justices had found that August Bank Holiday week-end in Blackpool—because of the added attractions offered at the time—was a "special occasion," and, in effect, they decided that the week in which that Bank Holiday fell was also a special occasion. The Court was of opinion that the justices had misdirected themselves on the law. The case would be remitted to the justices with the direction that the offences charged had been proved. Justices Avory and Mackinnon concurred.
MINERS' BUSES AS "CONTRACT CARRIAGES."
REFERRING to a paragraph published in last week's issue, we are informed by Mr. Arnold J. Cordy, secretary of Folkestone and District Passenger Transport Association, that the Sout.. Eastern Traffic Commissioners have not granted licences to Betteshanger Miners' Mutual Self-Help Club for six buses. Mr. Cordy does -not, however, dispute the fact that six vehicles have been acquired for the purpose, but these are being run ns" contract carriages.''
The Commissioners have allowed members of the Association who carry miners to Betteshanger Colliery to charge the same fares as the miners pay to their club. WHAT AGE LIMIT FOR FREE TRAVEL?
'THE view that the question• of the 1 age up to which children should be carried free of charge on buses should be considered nationally was expressed by Mr. J. H. Stirk, chairman of the East Midland Traffic Commissioners.
For five hours, at a sitting at Lincoln, last week, the Commissioners heard arguments for and against the age limits of five years and three years respectively. The bus companies sought permission to carry children free of charge up to five years, but this was strongly opposed by the London and North Eastern, London Midland and Scottish and Great Western Railway companies.
Mr. Stirk said that the matter was of such importance that the Commis
sinners would reserve their decision. Operators would be permitted to run in the same manner as in 1932, before a condition was included in licences providing for the age of three years as the limit. Certain of the applicants admitted that, last year, they had ignored this condition.
Mr. Stirk pointed out that notice of the proposal was sent out early last year to the 800 bus operators in the area and no objection was received. The condition was, therefore, included in licences. To regularize the position, however, the Commissioners would remove the condition pending settlement of the question.
The Yorkshire Commissioners have agreed to fix the age limit at three years.
"EAST KENT'S" LENHAM APPLICATION ADJOURNED.
WHEN the application of the East VV Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., for permission to pick up and set down passengers at Lenham, on the Deal and Dover services, came before the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner last Friday, he adjourned the case. The M.T. Co. (Motor Coaches), Ltd., opposed the granting of the facility, thus continuing the conflict that has for some time been in progress between the two companies.
The Commissioner decided to adjourn the case until after the hearing of the appeal of the East Kent concern against the South-Eastern Commissioner's and Metropolitan Commissioner's action in granting Lenham as a picking-up point to the M.T. Co: The hearing of the application was forecast in last week's issue of The Commercial Motor.
NEW LOW-PRICED RADIO SET FOR COACHES.
I T is announced that the Lissen six valve battery-operated radio ft equipment for motor vehicles is now available at the moderate price of £16 16s. Three of the valves are of the metallized screened-grid type, whilst a new valve, known as the L2/D, which is also metallized, acts as a diode rectifier and automatic volume
controlling device. A special Lissen valve is used in the output stage, which gives a high output with economical H.T. consumption.
The new Lissen iron-cored coils are used throughout the receiver, which incorporates remote tuning and a moving-coil loudspeaker. The apparatus covers medium and long-wave ranges and the maker is Lissen, Ltd., Worple Road, Isleworth, Middlesex.
BOURNEMOUTH-POOLE AGREEMENT TO END SHORTLY.
DENDING the termination of the ex
isting agreement with the Bournemouth Corporation, the Poole Corporation has shortly to decide whether it shall enter into a new agreement with the Bournemouth authorities to run trolleybnses or motor buses over the present tramways system. Hants and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd., runs extensive services throughout the borough and neighbouring district. WEST MIDLAND COMMISSIONERS AND PRE-BOOKED PARTIES.
APPLICATIONS for licences for prebooked parties were heard by the West Midland Traffic Commissioners, at Birmingham, a few days ago. For Messrs. J. Addis and Son—one of the applicants—it was4stated that the licences were required for excursions arranged by friends. The application was, however, adjourned for the firm to provide more particulars.
G. Pratt (Birmingham), Ltd., sought a licence to carry pre-booked parties from Muntz Street, also asking for permission to pick up passengers in any street or at any public-house. A representative of the company said that one or two free seats were provided for the person or persons who organized a trip. He did not, however, consider that the withdrawal of that concession would interfere with the organization of such parties.
The police suggested that three conditions, as follow, should be attached to licences for pre-booked parties making journeys from Birmingham:—
No passenger shall be picked up or set down in the central congested area of the city ; the prior consent of the Commissioners shall be obtained to pick up or set down a pre-booked party within that area ; and the shortest and most convenient route for the type of vehicle operated shall be followed in both directions, from the point at which passengers are picked up or set down to the routes recommended by the police.
The company wished to charge different fares on various days of the week. The applications were eventually withdrawn.
AGREEMENT ON FARES FOR WEST-COUNTRY ROUTES.
IT was announced at a sitting of the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, last Friday, that agreement had been reached between the Southern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., the railway companies and other interested parties concerning fares on long-distance routes from London to the West.
In most cases, it was stated, intermediate and terminal coach fares were the same as those charged by the railways, but where they differed it was by agreement. WESTMINSTER URGES REDUCTION IN BUSES.
PROTRACTED negotiations concerning traffic have been taking place between Westminster City Council and London Transport. The Board requested the council to support an application to the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner in connection with certain suburban coach services through Regent Street and Piccadilly.
The council replied that, notwithstanding the co-ordination of services, an insignificant reduction had been made in the number of bus journeys in the central area since the Board was established. It was agreed not to object to the proposed application, on certain conditions.
One was that the Board should consult the council on any further proposal to increase coach services in the central area; another was that the Board should undertake to reduce, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., the number of bus journeys along streets in the central area to be traversed by the proposed services.
The Board, in reply, stated that the council had much under-estimated the achievements in the direction of reducing the number of buses. The Board would, however, be prepared to consult the council on any further application for increased coach services in the central area.
The council decided to make representations to the Traffic Commissioner and to the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis. The highways committee recommends the Council to press for a reduction in the number cf bus journeys from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Parliamentary committee of Leeds Corporation is to seek powers to provide and work trolleybuses on five routes of the municipal system.
BOLTON NOT READY FOR BOARD.
BOLTON Transport Committee has further considered the question of the proposed Joint Municipal Passenger Transport Board for South-East Lancashire and East Cheshire. The summary and reports of leading officials of authorities concerned in the proposal were submitted. It was decided that, before agreeing in principle to the formation of a board, the further investigation ecnternplated should he undertaken.
BID. TO REDUCE COACH FARE BELOW, RAILWAY RATE.
TIlE relation between road and rail fare was considered by the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner last Friday. Birch Brothers, Ltd., sought pemiission to reduce the return fare on the London-Bedford service from 5s. to 4s. 6d. Originally the fare was 3s. 6d, but it was later increased to 5s.
The ordinary railway fare was 6s, id., but this rate was seldom in force. After 10 a.m. a daily return fare of r,s. was charged by the railway, and, on certain other occasions, 3s. 6d. This advantage of fare was additional to the much quicker service provided by the railway.
For the London Midland and Scottish, and London and North Eastern Railway companies it was contended that the only object of the reduction in fare must be to withdraw traffic from the railways.
Mr. Gleeson E. Robinson, the Commissioner, remarked that, in seeking to reduce the fare for the whole route, the applicant would interfere with the railways. On the other hand, he agreed that Birch Brothers, Ltd., was providing a useful service to intermediate points between London and Bedford.
The Commissioner reserved his decision. The question is to be considered with the whole matter of fares on services passing through Bedford en route for Yorkshire and the North.