Operating Aspects of PASSENGER
Page 39
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TRANSPORT
HEALTH OF LONDON BUSMEN
THE final report of the committee of inquiry, set up after the bus, strike of 1937, which considered the working conditions of London busmen, was issued afew days ago by the Ministry of Labour.
Seemingly, there is no evidence that the condition of the men has become. less healthy since 1931. Irregularity of hours of work and meal times, and nervous anxiety and temperament are the factors on which stress is laid in the causation of gastric illness.
It is suggested, in the repcyrt, that the desirability Of providing a longer interval between changes of shifts of work, and easement in certain spells of duty, which appear to be too long in their duration, before a meal relief, should be given consideration. Other points to which attention is directed are a reduction' in the number of periods of meal relief, whic.h are of less than 40 minutes' duration, and a stand time between journeys, which should be kept under constant review in the construction and revision of schedules of duties. Summing up its conclusions, the committee says: ". That some nervous strain is present in operating a passenger vehicle through Central London is obvious, but the ,extent of its importance as a contributory .factor in the observed excess of gastric illness we have no means of gauging.''
The committee sat under the chairmanship of Mr. John Forster.
BERLIN HAS DOSSIER OF GLASGOW TRANSPORT.
ADOSSIER kept in Berlin, with facts and figures relating to Glasgow Transport Department, was mentioned by Lord Provost P, J. Dollan to stress the widespread reputation of the department when he spoke at a luncheon held to mark the 45th anniversary of the civic inauguration of the undertaking.
At the function, presentations were made to Mr. Robert F. Smith, general manager of the department, and Mr. Thomas Friel, an inspector.
Bailie William Reid, convenor of the transport committee, which included five former Lord Provosts—Sir David Mason, Sir D. M. Stevenson, Br., Sir A. B. Swan, Sir Thomas Kelly and Sir John Stewart—two former transport general managers, and six ex-conveners of the transport committee attended.
The fame of the transport department was widespread in Europe and America, said Mr. Dollan. had found that, even in New York, banking houses, discussing municipal finance, frequently referred to the Glasgow department.
" When I was with a corporation deputation to Berlin in 1932," he declared, " we found that the city had a
dossier of all the transactions relating to this department, and an official could tell even us when the id. fare was changed. To-day the department is worth over 10,000,000.It is debt free in reality, and it is ready to make any change in its conditions that may be required by new inventions and developments."
SHARING AGREEMENT TO GO? ilANCHESTER Transport Cornmittee has offered to cancel the profit-sharing arrangement with Stretford Corporation as from April I last and to make up the latter authority's loss on bus operation in 1938-39. Stretford is considering the matter. RIBBLE DIRECTOR DIES.
lk AR.
JAMES HODSON, aged 79 IV." years, a pioneer of motorbus transport and a director of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., died on November 1, Mr. Hodson started a bus service between Higher Walton, &Luther Bridge and Preston many years ago. This was taken over by Ribble company.
HULL TROLLEYBUS CONVERSION TO PROCEED.
QTATING that it is not carrying out k..)trolleybus inspection for the time being, the Ministry of Transport has informed Hull Corporation there is no objection to the Holderness Road route being switched over from tramcars to trolleybuscs, so soon as the converkon work is complete.
CARDIFF SEEKS TROLLEYBUS POWERS. •
CARDIFF is seeking power to operate trolleybuses and, at a recent meeting of the council, it was decided to make application to the Ministry of Transport for a provisional Order. The powers sought cover the existing 13 miles of double-track routes and proposed extensions for a further 25 miles of similar routes.
RESTRICTIONS REMOVED BY WAR-TIME ARRANGEMENT.
ST5BjECT to the approval of the Regional Transport Officer, the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., will he the main operator of the Birmingham road service at Walsall for the duration of the war. This follows an arrangement arrived at by the company and Walsall Transport Committee,
Apart from improving facilities, the scheme will avoid the needless duplication of services. Hitherto, the company has had to observe certain restrictions with regard to picking-up passengers inside the borough.
NEW TERMS FOR SCOTTISH BUSMEN
SCOTTISH branches of the Transport and General Workers' Union, representing drivers, conductors and other employees of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., and its allied companies, were due to meet in Edinburgh yesterday, November 10, to consider the existing agreement which is due for renewal or termination on February 28. Three months' notice of change is required by either side.
The agreement, which became operative on March 1 last, conceded an 'increase of id. an hour, and an extension of the annual holiday from 7 to 10 days.
Mr. Arthur Gee, Scottish passenger group secretary of the Union, states that many resolutions have been received from branches in favour, of a demand being made for a special increase, because of the rise in the cost of living. The drivers and conductors also feel that they are entitled to consideration because of the difficult conditions. under which • they have been working during the black-out.
More than 8,000 workeri are affected, including 'those of Young's Bus. Services, Ltd., Paisley. Glasgow Corporation drivers and conductors have asked the national executive of the Union to call a conference of all transport workers whose wages and conditions are regulated by the National Joint Council. This applies to all the municipal undertakings in Scotland and England,
CONDUCTORS RESIGN: CANNOT STAND BLACK-OUT.
AS the result of the drastically restricted lighting on their buses, between 60 and 70 conductors have resigned from the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd.
Mr. O. C. Power (traffic manager of the company) said -that although the drivers' difficulties had been reduced by the granting of permission to use fog lamps, and by the fitting of the new head-lamp shield, the position of the conductors remained intolerable. It was because of this that such a large number had resigned, although the men would be taken back. Since the black-out was introduced, more than 100 accidents have occurred to passengers on the company's routes, and numerous complaints of thefts. " All we want," said Mr. Power, "is to get a little more light inside and outside our buses. A full report on the black-out, as it affects the municipal trams and buses, is to be presented to Birmingham City Council at the next meeting.