LATEST. NEWS FRONI THE TRAFFIC AREAS
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YORKSHIRE OPERATORS SEEK CONTRACT-WORK AGREEMENT.
AN effort in Yorkshire to reaeh an
agreement on contract work was begun at a meeting of the Yorkshire Regional Fares Committee last week. A long discussion revealed considerable difference of opinion, and a special subcommittee, representative of operators and the railway companies, was appointed to deal with the question.
Controversy chiefly centred on the question of what may be regarded as a " special" occasion. The representatives of the large bus companies desired an interpretation of the term "special occasion" to be on a basis permitting them to continue to carry out as contract work much transport hitherto undertaken as such, on a mileage basis.
On the other hand, the representatives of Yorkshire Coach Owners, Ltd., which chiefly represents excursion and tour operators, pressed for a much narrower interpretation of the term "special occasion," so as to rule out many of the jobs hitherto regarded as contract work. A "special occasion," it was argued, applied only to events such as a workpeople's outing, where the employer paid the whole of the cost of the trip. All other events should be run as excursions and tours, at the statntary fares.
SIX LEEDS TRAM ROUTES TO BE ABANDONED?
IT is understood that six of Leeds Corporation's tramways routes may be converted to motorbus working. At present, the tramways mileage is
greater than that of the bus system.
• S.M.T. ORDERS 14 NEW AIRCRAFT.
FOURTEEN new aeroplanes have been ordered by the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., to supplement its fleet of six machines acquired last year. The existing machines are Fox Moth cabin biplanes, whilst the new aircraft will also be of De travilland make, eight being Fox Moths, five twin-engined Dragon six-seaters and a Tiger Moth two-seater biplane.
Descriptions of De Havilland and other makes of aircraft appeared last week, in our first monthly aviation supplement.
It is understood that a group of aeroplanes is to be controlled by the Western S.M.T. Co., Ltd., which is associated with the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd. It is proposed to operate services from eastern Scotland and northern England. Machines will also be available for newspaper services.
CONTRACT CASE WON.
LAST Saturday the Poeklington
magistrates dismissed summonses against Messrs. Everingham Bros., of Pocklington, for allowing two unlicensed vehicles to be used by the local football club. It was alleged that the work was not contract business, because several passengers who were merely supporters of the club travelled with the team.
The defence was that the party was of a private nature, and the occasion was a special one. It appears that club supporters were allowed to eontribute is. to the funds, and this gave theni the right to travel with the team to matches. It was pointed out that a placard outside the club headquarters giving notice of the trip was for the advice of members and not of the public.
• NEW ORANGE BROS. AIR SERVICE.
WE learn that Messrs. Orange Bros., Haymarket, Neweastle-on-Tyne, propose to inaugurate an air service from Newcastle. Two years ago it was proposed to commence flying activities, but the advent of the Road Traffic Act prevented the company from devoting attention to this new sphere of business. Messrs. Orange Bros. were, of course, pioneers on the Newcastle-London coach route.
SCARBOROUGH AND UA-S.
SCARBOROUGH borough treasurer
has reported -upon the annual statement of accounts submitted by United Automobile Services, Ltd., in pursuance of the agreement between the corporation and the company for the operation of bus setvices in the borough. An independent investigation is to be made into the accounts.
AGREEMENT AT PLYMOUTH.
pLymotria Corporation's transport manager states that, in addition to the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., the following have agreed to the terms of the revised agreement for bus operation within the city :—Embankment Motor Co., Plymouth; Mr. A. Cleave, Delabole ; Messrs. Browne Bros., Holbeton ; Messrs. J. W. Newton and Son, Down Thomas ; Mr. E. V. Lowe (Zenith Motors), Plymouth ; Mr. A. L. Maddock, Holsworthy ; and the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd., Exeter.
COACHES BANNED FROM STANDS.
A FURTHER step in the controversy
over coach stands at Blackpool is the decision of a joint committee of the town council to reaffirm a previous decision of the watch committee to ban coaches from the public stands. Other sites for coach parking are being sought.
NEW CROYDON COACH STATION.
NEXT summer Bourne and Balmer,
Ltd., which operates seasonal coach services from Croydon to seaside resorts, is to open a coach station on a Site between Wellesley Court Road and Dingwall Road, Croydon.
As many as 30 coaches may load at once. Coaches will enter the station through the present cul-de-sac, 'Wellesley Grove, and will be driven out through the forecourt, abutting on to Ding-wall Road. As the station is rectangular in plan, there will be no
• maeosivring to cause waste of time. A platform will run down each side of the building. Upstairs there will be a large waiting-room and buffet.
In front of the building there will be a forecourt, in the centre of which an island will be built.
MODIFICATIONS SOUGHT FOR . EXCURSION LICENCES.
IMPORTANT modifications have been
asked for by Yorkshire Coach Owners, Ltd.; in submitting to the Yorkshire Trafic Commissioners on behalf of its members, a large batch of applications for licences for excursions and tours. These applications have been submitted ;under the scheme for block licensing drawn up by Mr. A. E. Keeling (secretary of Yorkshire Coach Owners, Ltd.).
Among the modifications asked for are that services may be operated all the year round, that an operator may pick up parties within a radius of three miles from his licensed starting point, that the number of vehicles operated may be according to traffic demands, and that the holiday services hitherto operated as express services may now be operated under excursions and tour licences as period return services.
Explaining the proposals to our correspondent, Mr. Keeling said the fares provided for under tbe block licensing scheme wOuld eliminate price cutting. With regard to picking-up points, the regulation that it is sought to replace, which provides that an operator may pick up passengers along his licensed route only up to four miles from the starting point, had caused hardship to operators and passengers.
Mr. Keeling said that if the Commissioners approved the substitution of excursions and tour licences for expresscarriage licences, instead of paying £1 for a licence from each starting point to each terminal point, the operator would be required to pay only £1 for the whole group. Furthermore, the holiday services would not be tied down to the regulations imposed upon express services.
GENERAL TRAVEL AGENCY ENTERS TOURS BUSINESS.
WITH the acquisition of All-British Travels, 60c, Guilford Street, London, W.C.1, the General Travel Agency (London), Ltd., 53, Woburn Place, London, W.C.1, has made an entry into the tours side of the passenger-transport industry. The General itavel concern is now directly interested in practically every phase of the business, including air travel.
We understand that the All-British concern has an excellent clientele, so that the General Travel Agency will have a good start in its new sphere. Tours of seven days' and 14 days' duration, within the British Isles, are included in the schedule.
BUS PROFITS RELIEVE RATES.
THE motor bus committee of East bourne Corporation recommends that £2,500 be contributed from the profits of the transport undertaking, towards the relief of rates.
In connection with next year's estimates, the borough treasurer states that the profits will probably be much less, owing to several causes, which include the increased cost of petrol. Fie adds that the future is uncertain until it is known whether there will be increased licence duties as recommended by the Salter Report.