LEM S OF

12th November 1929, Page 143

12th November 1929

Page 143

Page 143, 12th November 1929 — LEM S OF

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111) Us

OPE A.TING

Discussed by W. CHAMBERLAIN

Immediate Past President of the Municipal Tramways and Transport Association (Inc.); General Manager of Belfast Corporation Transport Undertaking

4, UNICIPAL tram

.1.1a ways operation has. for some time, been passing through ki phase beset with 'Problems arid difficulties, but I think that the outcome of the experience which has i,feen obtained will be, in the future, of the utmost value to municipalities.

The troubles of*the. municipal transport operator will not be wholly overcome, hewever, by merely relying upon the -advantages to be derived by having

protection extended to him throughout his statutory area, although he may serve the population with adequate and cheap transport.

The provision of purely local transport, without a line of vision extending beyond the parochial or geographical boundaries of the statutory area, is not sufficient, in these days, however satisfactory it may have been in the past. Transport services from outside the area must be considered now and in the future.

In fact, if the fullest consideration and support he extended to the outside operators, the utmost benefit can be obtained by the municipalities, to an extent that their problems will quickly be eased or will vanish.

Conditions in Belfast.

• Perhaps I can best explain my point by giving the example of the Northern Ireland precedent. Less than a year ago the traffic situation in Belfast, which had been created by uncontrolled competition, was described as "chaotic and impossible" by the commissioners who had been appointed by the Government of Northern Ireland to inquire into the application by Belfast Corporation for confirmation of its proposed bylaws. Not less than i10,000 was spent by the corporation and private operators in presenting the case, and, in the end, the by-laws were not eon firmed.

In the circumstances, something had to be done, and, ultimately, the private operators and myself, acting for the corporation, discussed the situation and, after the fullest consideration was given to the claims of all parties (at the same time, keeping the public interest well in mind), definite proposals were submitted to the Government, with the result that a Provisional Order was issued, giving effect to the agreement.

There is now, unified control in Northern Ireland ; licensing is solely In the hands of the Government, and Belfast Corporation is content to confine its operation to the statutory area which was previously granted by Parliament. Furthermore, the small operator has equal rights with the large operator and protection is given to each, so long as an adequate and satisfactory service is provided.

Advantages of Unified Control.

Not until unified control was instituted was it possible to carry out a proper system of co-ordinated transport; and, further, the fostering of unremunerative routes can be carried out, by private operators, in a way similar to that in which the corporation is again in the position to do, with the full knowledge that, when a route becomes profitable, the poacher will be excluded.

I believe we are well on the way to solve the problem of that most perishable of commodities — the waste seat. During the past few months the corporation has been able to conclude agreements with private operators whose services are centred on Belfast, whereby waste seats on buses entering the municipal area are purchased by the corporation at a dumping price. In this connection it is of the greatest importance to municipal operators to note that many of their unremunerative services can be discontinued, if not wholly, at least during slack traffichours, by the purchase, on the lines indicated above, of waste seats.

In addition to the advantages obtained in respect to the reduction of redundant services and the utilization of waste seats, further economies in capital outlay and general costs have been realized by full use being made of all vehicles owned by the respective parties, by way of free interchange of vehicles, from time to time.

have recently stated that I stand for a controlled monopoly in the bands of the municipalities. At the same time, I trust that I have not been misunderstood to the extent that private operators were not to be entitled to consideration, provided that they be prepared to undertake similar obligations and that their efforts in. 'providing and creating transport facilities have been in the public interest. I am of the opinion, however, that agreements for interrunning should not be one-sided, and, where it is possible for a private operator to enter into agreement to operate over a municipal-transport area, the same freedom should be extended to the municipality to operate over an outside area, in the event of it being shown that it would be in the public interest, and waste seats could be eliminated.

Given central control of road-passenger transport, the present unsatisfactory condition would soon. be corrected ; each class of operator would be allocated to his proper sphere of working and insensate and wasteful competition would give way to ordered and controlled road-passenger service. It would, I hope, also allow the railways to function to the utmost of their capacity. After all, having in mind the crowded state of the roads of the country, they should not, in my view, be allowed to be used for redundant services, such as, -at the present time, are to be observed.

"Scrap the Trams."

I have, in the foregoing statenient, discussed the higher policy of muni

cipal transport. There are also, however, serious problems to consider in relation to the provision of the most suitable form of transport. These problems will call for the utmost caution, otherwise our undertakings will be brought to a state of financial embarrassment. The cry of "Scrap the trams " is, in my opinion, suitable as a cat-call, but it is admitted by all impartial authorities who have considered the transport question in all its aspects that the tramcar is still an indispensable factor in (mil transport system. We who are responsible for advising municipal authorities are, I think, fully, alive to the advantages to be obtained by utilizing to the fullest extent motorbuses and trolley-buses.