Cut in Cotton Area Bus Services ?
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"A LMOST the whole of the indus
1-1. trial area served by the company's stage-carriage services is, to a large degree, dependent for its Prosperity upon employment in the cotton industry, and the immediate future may prove to be a time when some reduction in the number of omnibuses provided will perforce have to be made."
Mr. R. P. Beddow, chairman of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., made this observation at the company's annual general meeting last week. He said that within 18 months, the cost of labour and materials essential in carrying on the company's business had increased at the rate of over 1500,000 a year. Ribble paid £515,000 fuel tax each year. of which some £206,000 was imposed by the Budgets of 1951 and 1952. There had been a small increase in the number of passengers carried, which totalled slightly over 212m.
The company's long-distance coach activities could, said Mr. Beddow, be claimed to be more Widespread than those of any other operator in Britain. In 'the past year a continuous link of services had been provided, connecting Scotland with the south-west coast of England. This venture, which afforded through journeys of upwards of 500 miles, was known as the Westlinks Express system and was an outstanding achievement.
68 New Single-deckers Fleet modernization continued and although the delivery rate of new 44seat single-deckers and been retarded because of the steel shortage, 68 had been placed in service since April 1, 1951, making a total of 104 in the company's possession. Another 50 were on order, whilst a further 50 of similar type, but of lighter weight, were expected to follow.
Thirty double-deckers with enclosed platforms, a type introduced last year, were scheduled for delivery in the autumn. They had p5oved popular with passengers.