Bus Operator Must Share His "Golden Apple
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A VAST atomic-energy project at In. Hinkley Point, Somerset, will be a "golden apple" for Mr. K. B. Haybittel, a bus operator at nearby Bridgwater, the Western Traffic Commissioners were told last week. Mr. Gordon McMurtrie sub-, milted that it was wrong for the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., to step in when the area suddenly assumed importance.
Both Western National and the local operator were seeking licences for weekend amenity services to and from Bridgwater for 1,000 workers at a hutment site where a power station is being built. Mr. Haybittel also wanted to run similar services in the evenings, except For week-ends.
For the company. Mr. T. D. Corpc said many thousands of people would eventual" be employed at Hinkley Point, which was situated in an area where Western National ran many unremu nerative services. An amenity service would he a necessity for the men.
Mr. McMurtrie replied that Mr. Haybittel was the established operator, and he should be allowed to carry all the traffic resulting from the project Up to now he had had to be content with the skimmed milk in the area.
The Commissioners granted the evening services exclusively to Mr. Haybittel, but gave 40 per cent. of the week-end services to Western National. Mr. S. W. Nelson, chairman, said Mr. Haybittel might well be able to deal with the volume of traffic, but it had to be borne in mind that companies' like Western National undertook many responsibilities which local operators escaped.
FRONT-ENTRANCE BUSES FOR PRESTON
QEVEN Leyland-M.C.W. 30-ft. doubles-, deckers with front entrances have been ordered by Preston Transport Department, who are thus expected to become the first municipal undertaking in England to introduce vehicles of this type on regular services.
The buses, which will be delivered curly in the summer, will have Pneumo-Cyclic gearboxes and air brakes. Mr. W. H. Barker, general manager, believes that front entrances will speed loading and reduce platform accidents. The driver will operate the door mechanism.
Edinburgh Transport Department arcs experimenting with a front-entrance double-decker, and Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., and Potteries Motor Traction Co., Ltd., have placed such types in service.
NEW SICK-PAY SCHEME
AREVISED sick-pay scheme for employees, which will cost about £15,000 a year, has been approved by Newcastle upon Tyne Transport Committee. Sickness benefits will be augmented up to the employee's normal wage for a maximum of 13 weeks, according to length of service. At present the limit is four weeks.