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STAFFS BOARD OPPOSITION GROWS
Page 112
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OPPOSITION to the North Staffordshire Road Transport Board Bill is being carefully marshalled. Over 200 Members of Parliament are stated to be opposing the principle of the measure in the House of Commons.
The British Road Federation holds that the Bill is a grave threat to public passenger transport, and, if passed, would he an incentive to other local authorities in industrial areas to promote similar schemes. The result would be that private companies would be left with the much less remunerative rural districts.
The Omnibus Owners Association declares that the Bill is " a vital threat not only to the transport industry but to private enterprise as a whole . . the measure is an audacious short cut to the socialization of passenger transport and the elimination of private enterprise."
BRIGHTON REJECTS TROLLEYBUSES.
BI? I GHTON Town Council has again rejected a proposal to replace the trams by trolleybuses. The council was, last week, summoned to a special meeting on a requisition signed.by five councillors, who urged that a Bill should immediately be promoted in Parliament to obtain powers to substitute trolleyhuses for trams.
At the meeting, it was stated that the change-over would cost about £175,000. Charges on that figure would total nearly £24,000 a year Various references were made to negotiations with Thomas Tilling, Ltd. In this connection, one councillor ex c62 pressed strong opposition to the " giving away " of the municipal tramways.
Another said that larger offers were made by the corporation to the company each time the municipal representatives met the 'filling officials. He urged that an Act authorizing the introduction of trolleybuses would be a useful instrument for bargaining with the Tilling company.
NEW RULES ON DOORS AND SEATS.
AMENDED regulations dealing with doors and seats in public service vehicles have now been made. They are known as the Public Service Vehicle (Conditions of Fitness) (Amendment) Provisional Regulations, 1937, and are dated February 2. Their provisions were fully reported in The Commercial Motor on January 15.
HULL TROLI.EYBUSES SOON.
HULL'S first trolleybus service will be inaugurated towards the end of March. Further services will be introduced from time to time, until, at the end of five years, it is hoped that the whole of the tramways system will have been displaced.
LONDON BILL OPPOSED.
TWO county councils, two city councils and other authorities are among the 29 petitioners against the London Passenger Transport Board Bill, which, along with other matters, seeks power to operate additional trolleyhus services.
£12,000 SCHEME AT PLYMOUTH.
PLYMOUTH Transport Committee recommends the replacement of certain tramways by trolleybus services at a total cost of £72,000.
NO LICENCES TO CARRY CHILDREN?
IT is understood that, in connection with Sir Assheton Pownall's Amending Bill, there is a possibility that, at the suggestion of the Minister of Transport, an important amendment may be put forward during the Committee Stage. This will permit the carriage of schoolchildren for hire or reward at separate fares in vehicles adapted to carry fewer than eight passengers, without the necessity of a road service licence, and, in the London Transport's area, without the Board's consent or approval of the route.
Certain conditions are attached, and these are likely to be that passengers must consist only of schoolchildren under 15 years of age, and necessary attendants . travelling in connection with the normal curriculum of the school. Moreover, any payment made must form part of an inclusive tuition fee, the amount of which does not vary whether the child is or is not carried in the ,vehicle.
The intention of the amendment being to relieve congestion and to increase road safety, the C.M.U.A. is of opinion that it cannot be subjected to serious objections. In the view of prominent passenger-vehicle members of the C.M.D.A., however, such a con' cession cannot be said to be equitable to other users of licensed passenger vehicles.
There are numerous passenger vehicles of various seating capacities available for this class of work, .and they would normally be employed if facilities were available for the hirers to employ the machines. Unfair competition from users of hackney vehicles constitutes a grave menace to the passenger-transport industry.
There is, it is stated, every justification for representations that the public service vehicle should enjby similar dispensation.
1130,000 FOR NEW COACHES THIS
YEAR.
WHEN Mr. John Allan, traffic maim. VV ger of W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., spoke at a luncheon at Arrocbar,
on February 4, he delivered a warning to members of the public who are anxious to book a coach for private hire, and then resort to public advertising without informing the owners of the vehicle. He emphasized the fact that, so long as intimation was made privately, there could be no objection, but to advertise publicly was contrary to the Road Traffic Act, 1934.
Mr. Allan said that road travel in Scotland was definitely increasing in popularity, and his company already had 526 vehicles booked.
Mr. John Marshall, coachbuilding manager, revealed that nearly £130,000 was being spent by the company in providing 85 Bluebird Coronation coaches this summer. The bodies, which have been built at Stirling for private hire, are steel-framed throughout.