Strathclyde loss is £8.9m
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STRATHCLYDE PTE lost £8.9m on its bus and Underground services in 1980/81, a deterioration from £5.3m the previous year.
In its annual report published last week, SPTE reports a drop in passenger traffic from 186m to 177m, and a drop in vehicle mileage from 29.9m to 29.3m, but a rise in receipts from £33m to £38m.
While the recession contributed towards this loss of business, it had other beneficial effects, with the recruitment of bus drivers being suspended for the first time since the Thirties.
A complete change-over to one-man operation and Fast Fare no-change fares collection led to the retraining of conductors as drivers, cash/ticket office staff being trained for other du
ties, and others' accepting redundancy. Driving instructors were seconded to traffic research activities.
During the year, the undertaking changed its name from Greater Glasgow PTE, reduced its management structure from five to three directors, initiated a streamlining of administrative and clerical staff, and set in train a move into one office building for this reduced establishment.
Services were trimmed to take account of the deteriorating financial position, but objections by Glasgow District Council delayed the implementation of these from June 1980 until January 1981, and came too late to make any significant financial impact last year.
A simplified green/black/yellow livery has been adopted as standard, and technical evaluation of new vehicles and equipment has been continued with a view to improving vehicle availability.
• Glasgow monopoly under threat, p126