Saving 123,000 Miles a Year
Page 54
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nO-ORDINATION of services be
tween Yorkshire and Blackpool was the subject of an application before the North-Western Traffic Commissioners on Friday last. A previous application was rejected and was refused on appeal, but a new plan had been evolved by the applicants, the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Lid., Yorkshire (W.D.) Electric Tramways, Ltd., Hebble Motor Services, Ltd., Walker, Taylor and Sons, Ltd., Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., Wood Bros. (Blackpool), Ltd., and W. Armitage and Sons, Ltd.
Mr. J. Lustgarten (on behalf of the applicants) said that the new scheme lacked much of that which previously had incited objections. It readjusted the services, giving the passengers a more direct route and reduced the annual vehicle-mileage by 122,681, of which winter mileage amounted to a total of 92,051.
Regarding the railway objections, these had a queer aspect. When fur
ther road facilities were required, the railway case was: "No, that obstructs traffic.' When road operators asked for less, with greater efficiency, the railways said : "No, that is going to compete with us." They opposed winter reductions hoping, he supposed, that if more operators had to continue spending money on unremunerative services they might suppress them altogether.
The only increase in facilities, said Mr. H. Bottomley (for the Ribble concern) was at Burnley, where there were now 13 journeys passing, but only 'five picking up passengers. Under the scheme, 12 would go there and all would pick up.
Mr. G. Seddon (for the railways) said that the plan was to make the road services competitive with the rail. The starting times covered a greater portion of the day. The proposals should be considered in conjunction with cheap bus fares, which, as yet, were not authorized. .
The hearing was adjourned.