Drop in Bus Traffic Begins : Attempts to Stop Losses
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ADECLINE in bus traffic. forecast in The Commercial Motor" on May 12, is beginning to become apparent in some quarters. Birmingham, Grimsby and Nottingham Transport Departments have experienced a drop in the number" of passengers carried. Mileages run, however, continue to increase.
In these circumstances, the position of passenger transport undertakings is becoming even more difficult.
In an endeavour to raise an additional £200.000 a year, Salford Transport Department is to apply to the Northwestern Licensing Authority for increases in fares. The minimum fare would be 10,, instead of Id., and other fares would be re-assessed at approximately Id. a mile, plus 0. for each individual fare. Elimination of cheap early morning fares on former tram routes and certain changes in children's fares are also proposed.
Loss of £100,000 On the basis of present receipts, a deficit of over £100,000 is expected for the current year, with rapid rises in the rate of loss during the next three years. If granted, the fares increase will be the first in Salford for 17 years.
When Leeds Transport Department's financial difficulties were discussed at the city council's meeting last week, Aid. D. a Cowling. Conservative deputy-chairman of the passenger transport committee, claimed that 70 per cent, of the undertaking's deficit was because of Socialist policy.
He was commenting on the committee's recommendation, which the council adopted, that application be made to. abolish workmen's fares on the tram and motorbus services, and to increase certain fares.
Coun. J. Rafferty, the commdttee's Labour chairman, said that workmen's fares were a relic of the past. Of the 252,000,000 tickets issued by the undertaking durin.g the past financial year, 21.33 per cent, were workmen's tickets. Withdrawal of workmen's fares would bring an extra income of £46,000 per year.
The proposed increase of , the 20. fare to 3d., and the 3d. fare to 30., was equal to about £33,000 additional revenue, but it was estimated that £3.300 of that sum would be lost because people would walk a fare stage nearer their destinations, instead of paying the extra id.
In 1949-50 Grimsby Trans port Department lost £14,301. Some drastic action would have to be taken and the whole fares structure would have to be overhauled during the next three months. M... H. R Snow. geneial manager, has said.
Higher fares on Bradford Transport Department's services, introduced last December after a £70,000 loss had been suffered, have brought the undertaking "very near to solvency." said the chairman of the transport committee, Coun. A. S. Downey, last week.
A.E.C. ENGINES FOR CANADA AFTER extensive trials, the Canadian Car and Foundry Co., Ltd., largest builder of buses and coaches in Canada, has decided to standardize on A.E.C. oil engines. In addition to becoming the sole distributor for these units throughout Canada, the Canadian company will also have the right to incorporate them in its own bus and coach chassis. It is liUly that many A.E.C. flat engines will be embocEed in American transit-type buses.