More fares increases granted
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• Three more bus companies have successfully applied to raise their fares.
Granting an application last week by the North Western Road Car Co Ltd in Stockport, Mr C. R. Hodgson, chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, said that the only way the company could escape from "a parlous situation" was by revising its fares scale.
Earlier, 'Mr F. D. Walker, representing North Western, had told the Commissioners the application was the result of a revenue fall, partly the result of a seven-week wages dispute by platform staff causing a 40 per cent loss in traffic. The increases, from lp to 5p from February 21, would realize an extra £328,000 in a full year.
Objections were received from more than 30 local authorities.
The second application, from Rotherham Corporation Transport, was heard by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners in Leeds. They were told that even with the increases the fares would remain the lowest in the country.
Mr K. Griffith, general manager, said the increases were necessary because of rises in expenditure; one of the main causes for these he attributed to a recent wages award to platform staff.
The third company, Stratford-on-Avon Blue Motors Ltd, applied to the West Midland Traffic Commissioners in Birmingham to increase fares by bringing them into line with the fares table of Midland Red, the company with which it is shortly to be absorbed.
The fares will be increased by lp throughout the scale with the proviso that services now run jointly by Stratford Blue and Midland Red will not be affected as the new Midland Red lp increases will already apply.