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CONSIDERING RUNNING MUNICIPAL BUSES.
Page 100
Page 101
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The Town Clerk of Blyth Reviews the Whole Field of Passenger Transport for the Benefit of the Corporation.
'VHF town clerk of Ely* Mr. J.
Leigh Turner, has reported upon the promotion of a municipal motorbus service for the town and has given a review of the situation in regard to municipal services in general which deals with a number of points of interest.
Up to May, 1923, no attempt was made to regulate the motorbus traffic. in Blyth. There were then 18 concerns operating bus services, of which only the United Automobile Services, Ltd., the Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Co., Ltd., Messrs. T. Allen and Sons Crate...Bros., and the successors of W. Scott and Co. are still operating.
Now services are run according to time-table by 11 proprietors or companies, these being Messrs. T. Allen and Sons, Blyth Motor Services, Ltd., Mr. A. E. Crate, Mr. H. J. Crate, Messrs. A. R. Douglass and Sons, Mr. A. Howe, Mr. J. Kane, Mr. E. J. W. Page; Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Co., Ltd.' Messrs. White and nun and the United Automobile Services, Ltd.
During the period for which the Blyth 'Corporation has regulated motorbus traffic many difficulties have been encountered, owing to the fact that the corporation has very limited powers of enforcing regulations as to routes, fares and time-tables. By the adoption of short-period licences and a warning. of the danger of non-renewal in case of non-observance of the regulations, the municipal authority has been able to obtain some little control, and on the whole things have improved, but it is stated that until the passing of the
Road Traffic Bill difficulties will be encountered.
He then makes it clear that by progressive steges during a period of upwards of half a century Parliament has deliberately adopted the policy of encouraging local authorities to provide facilities for the transport of passengers and, to some extent, of goods. The first Act to which reference is made is the Tramways Act of 1870, which makes provision for the construction of tramways by local authorities or companies. The Act, however, provided that though a local authority might construct a tramway and lease it, it was not to work it, but in the early nineties it became the practice of Parliament to sanction a local authority to work tramways in the event of it being unable to lease them on terms yielding an adequate rent.
In 1893, however, and since, it has been the established practice to sanction local authorities to work tramways both within and without their districts. The next Act to which reference is made is the Light Railway Act of 1896, under. -Which many undertakings, that ,are in effect tramway undertakings, have been authorized to be provided and worked by local authorities.
In the early, part of the present century, continues Mr. Turner, motorbuses became a practical means of transport, and here, again, Parliament, having proceeded, in the first instance, very cautiously, has adopted the policy of permitting loeal authorities to provide and work bnees both within and without their areas. At first it was the general practice to allow a local authority to run such vehicles only in connection with its tramway undertakings, generally along its tramway routes, though sometimes in extension thereof, but, in 1902, the Eastbourne Corporation obtained general powers to run buses anywhere in its borough and for a prescribed distance beyond the borough, with the consent of the Board of Trade. It was, it is believed, one of the first local authorities to undertake the ruening of buses. This is a fact generally well known and the Eastbourne Corporation has shown much enterprise in the development of its bus system,. and the town, over which it exercises control, has never been burdened with tramways, For some time, however, it has been the practice to allow a local authority to run buses anywhere within its area and, with the consent of the Minister of Transport and of the local authority, along a route outside its area, the consent of such authority not to be unreasonably withheld
A clause now frequently son g,ht to be included in motorbus hills and one which, says the town clerk, would be of great advantage to myth, is that enabling the promoting corporation to make regulations prescribing within a central area defined in the Bill the streets which may . not be used by vehicles of a specified class, either generally or during specified times, the streets which may be used on one direction only, places at which, by reason of danger to the public or congestion of traffic, buses -shall not stop to take up or set down passengers, and to make regulations prescribing within the borough the stands which MaY be occupied exclusively by buses generally, or by buses of any particular class, e.g., time-table buses. A provision is usually inserted by Parliament in all motorbus bills placing an obligation upon a local authority running buses to pay a sum by way of contribution towards the cost of the, adaptation, alteration, reconstruction, or strengthening of any road or bridge as may be necessitated by the proposed traffic upon it. A limit is also fixed to the maximum fares permitted to be charged by the promoting corporation. Such, then, says Mr. Turner, are the Powers which would be given to the corporation, if successful in the promotion of a Bill.
Before granting such powers, however, Parliament would require to be satisfied that it was in the public interest that they should be granted. It, therefoie, becomes important to consider
whether the requirements of the public in Blyth and district are-at the present time met by private enterprise. In all probability the county council, the Newcastle Corporation and the existing. bus companies would oppose any Bill promoted by the Blyth Corporation to run motorbuses.
Mr. Turner does not overlook the fact that even if the powers were granted, municipal buses would have-to with the buses run by private enterprise, as he expresses the opinion that there is considerable doubt as to the powers which a corporation Would have to withhold a licence in order to protect its own undertaking. As the Blyth Corporation has granted licences in respect of some 145 buses, he believes it would have considerable difficulty in refusing to renew them merely because the corporation was in a position to supply the necessary bus services.
The power to grant licences for buses is contained in the Town Police Clauses Act, 1889, the local authorities for the administration of that Act being the councils of boroughs and urban districts. These provisions are amended by the Roads Act, 1920 (Section 43), which provides that if when an application for a licence to ply for hire with a motorbus be made,the licensing
authority either refuses' or grants it subject to conditions, the applicant has a right to appeal to the Minister of Transport.
Mr. Turner points out that before deciding upon the promotion of a Bill the Blyth Corporation would have_ to consider (in the event Or obtaining the necessary powers) :what would be the number of buses required, what buildings, if any, would be necessary to house them and an estimate, of the cost, in order to obtain in the Bill the ne0s sary borrowing powers.
Summing up the situation, Mr. Turner mentions \ that there are in the British Isles about 75 corporations running motorbus services. •
In all the circumstances, Mr. Turner expresses the view that the council might pot consider it prudent for the corporation to promote. a Bill the main or only object ofwhich is to 'secure motorbus powers. There are, however, other powers Which it is most desirable that the corporation. should possess. Bearing in mind that the expense of promotion would not be greatly increased thereby, it is thought that the corporation. might seek powers to run buses as part Of a General Powers Bill.