103 Fewer P.S.V. Operators D URING 1953-54, 103 operators of public
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service vehicles in Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) went out of business. There was also a further decline in the number of vehicles and contract-carriage operators, and a general shortage of platform staff in large undertakings.
These trends are revealed in the "Summary of Annual Reports of the Licensing Authorities for Public Service Vehicles, 1953-54," which was published last week by the Stationery Office at 3s. 6d.
From April 1. 1953, to March 31, 1954, the number of public service vehicles in operation declined from 74,745 to 74,408. In contrast with the year before, when its fleet was increased by 40, London Transport reduced its vehicle strength by 107. Increasing concentration of vehicles in fewer hands is evident. Whereas the number of operators of one, two and four vehicles decreased, the percentage of vehicles owned by operators with upwards of 200 advanced from 49.55 to 50.31. The total number of operators at March 31, 1954, was 5,139. Of the 103 who surrendered their licences, the greatest number (26) was in the North-Western Area, Yorkshire taking second place with 16.
Many more applications for penrnission to dispense with conductors were received, nine of the 11 Licensing Authorities mentioning it in their reports. The Northern Authority granted 65 such dispensations; West Midland, 49; South Wales, 11; Eastern, 8; Western, 7, and Metropolitan, 6. Among the most effective forms of economy were the reorganization and pruning of services, and a reduction in frequency on the less remunerative routes. Other means for cutting costs included an increasing use of doubledeck and lightweight vehicles, singledeck buses with large seating capacities, and thin oils.
Although experiments with crushload single-deckers were continuing in some places, they were generally unsuccessful in at least one area, "because they were not generally acceptable to the travelling public."
In the North-Western Area. there was an increase in the number of applications to provide excursions and tours direct from new housing estates. 'I he Yorkshire Authority reported a greater demand for express services to holiday resorts on the south coast. Of 185 licences issued in South Wales for new express services, 160 were for pantomime trips, and 13 were for Blackpool.