Plan to cut LT costs
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DNOON TRANSPORT loses CI for every mile its buses run despite 'cent improvements in both bus operating and engineering.
ccording to its long term plan, London Transport Plan 1984/5, )8617, the need for improvements in unit costs is now critical, 'rites NOEL MILLER.
Among its key tasks for the rture are to increase bus serce reliability by the greater use I radio equipped inspectors id the new Busco bus control Dmmunications system, the itroduction of schedules degned to take account of Lonon conditions and route splitng.
LT wants to achieve major imrovements in its bus costs per pile which at 250.3p are the ighest in the country, by reducig its engineering costs and :eadily increasing the amount I one-man-operation from the resent 53 per cent to 65 per .int by 1986/87.
Bus engineering cost reducons will be aided by the introuction of Bus Engineering Mangement Systems (Berns), which a system designed to replan arage and workshop facilities ) meet current and future reuirements more economically. The report shows that the irgest future bus investment uring the period will be for new ouble-deck buses, despite the Ian for some future service reuctions.
The report confirms that LT rill complete its Fleetline re placement programme as well as increasing its Routemaster replacements in line with the need to increase o-m-o.
The report shows that the expenditure on new buses is expected to be £25m in 1983, £27m in 1984, £25m in 1984/85, £20m in 1985/86 and £16m in 1986/87.
The report does not specify the type of buses to be bought, although it is expected that the current policy of splitting orders between MCW Metrobuses and Leyland Titans will be discontinued very soon.
The report promises a review of the engineering and support activities in garages and at Chiswick and Aldenham works which will consider among other things the potential for contracting out as the outgoing Government has proposed. Engineering savings of some El Om are expected by the end of 1986/87.
As part of its response to the current mood of competition, LT is developing proposals to experiment with "new and different forms of service" both within its own operation and by other contract arrangements.