'HISTORIC DECISION' ON MANCHESTER FARES

10th November 1967, Page 97

10th November 1967

Page 97

Page 97, 10th November 1967 — 'HISTORIC DECISION' ON MANCHESTER FARES

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MR. C. R. HODGSON, Chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, described the granting of an application by Manchester Corporation and joint operators to raise the minimum fare from 3d to 6d as an historic decision. The hearing was held in Manchester on Friday and objections were raised by Heywood Corporation.

Mr. J. Howarth, senior solicitor, Manchester Corporation, said that this application was merely a rounding-off of the hearing held on February 16 this year when Manchester Corporation sought to simplify the adult fare structure into a 6d, ls and ls 6d system. At that time the Commissioners had said that the Corporation might reapply for the abolition of the 3d fare on financial or operational grounds at any time.

That time, according to Mr. R. Bennett, general manager of Manchester Corporation Transport, had now come. The retention of the 3d adult fare had reduced the anticipated revenue for 1967/68 by £150,000, and costs continued to rise.

It was intended, continued Mr. Bennett, that 250 buses would be one-man operated by the middle of 1968; the present figure was 93. If these buses were to provide an economic service, the drivers could not be expected to give change. This was why it was necessary to raise the fare by 100 per cent so that most passengers in future would be able just to insert their sixpences in the ticket machines when boarding the buses.

Mr. W. Parker, town clerk, for Heywood Corporation, objected to the public having to pay in order to fit in with a new system the Corporation had conceived. Mr. Bennett replied that the system had been designed to save money in future years and that the public would, therefore, benefit from it.

Mr. V. Eddisford, recent Communist candidate at Gorton, contended that such an increase would most affect the aged and infirm. Mr. Bennett reminded him that old age pensioners would be entitled to a concession and would still, therefore, be paying a minimum fare of 3d.

On granting the application, Mr. Hodgson congratulated Manchester Corporation for its courageous decision to build up a fleet entirely of one-man operated buses. The increase is to take effect from November 13.