Passenger Transport News
Page 33
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EIRE REDUCES FARES BY £750,000 W/HEREAS in Great Britain the YY tendency is for fares to be increased, C.I.E., Eire's equivalent. of London Transport, has this year reduced fares and rates by an amount aggregating £750,000 in a full year of operation. This was quoted as an example of "administrative courage" by Mr. L. A. Luke, in an address in Cork on "Transport Perspective."
He said that representations had been made to raise the legal speed limit of double-deck buses from 20 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h. No increase in the maximum legal speed of 35 m.p.h. for singledeckers was being sought. Provincial long-distance services could be acceler ated only by reducing delays at stopping places. This was a troublesome task, said Mr. Luke, for parcels traffic by bus had been doubled in recent years. The main improvement required in buses was an increase in the amount of space for each passenger. That extra comfort was being provided in new buses.
The really knotty problem at provincial centres was the demand for greater comfort at stopping points. As
waiting rooms could not be established all over the country, the comfort of the
prospective traveller in the small town would have to be improved by reducing waiting time. With this end in view, was concentrating on improved punctuality of bus services.
Mr. Luke also stressed the importance of staff welfare.
WOLVERHAMPTON LOOKS AHEAD
OVER £600,000 is to be spent on the improvement of Wolverhampton's transport services, said Mr. C. Owen Silvers, general manager of the transport department recently. The greatest drawbacks to the putting into effect of these improvements are lack of manpower and delay in obtaining new vehicles.
Orders have been placed for 105 trolleybuses and 74 motorbuses. Permission has been obtained to operate 8-ft.-wide vehicles on some routes. It is hoped that authority will be granted to run such vehicles on all services, in which case the orders for new vehicles will have to be modified.
IPSWICH PROFIT UP
DUR1NG the past year Ipswich transI--"port undertaking earned an income of £201,808 and spent £186,750, leaving a surplus of £15,058. A total of -£25,836 was paid in income tax. Whilst income was up 10 per cent, on the previous year, expenditure increased by 16 per cent.
Over 26,000,000 passengers were carried by the 74 trolleybuses, which covered 2,059,000 miles.
.GREEN LINE MAP'S 640 MILES
--rHE first large wall map of the Green I. Line services to be printed since 1939 is being displayed at all Underground stations, roadside shelters, and
inquiry offices this week. Printed in green and black, this map gives details of the 26 routes which have been restored since last February. Only 25 operate to-day, route 726 (London to Whipsnade) running only during the summer months. Three hundred coaches operate on these services, running over 640 road-miles and linking places on the fringe of the London Transport area as far apart as Luton arid Dorking, Aylesbury and Westerham, and Windsor and Tunbridge Wells. They serve about 260 country towns and villages and suburbs of London.
TROLLEYBUSES: CARDIFF'S URGENT CALL
1N view of the serious position that has arisen as to the maintenance of passenger-transport services in Cardiff, the Ministry of Transport is to be asked to take all possible steps to expedite delivery of the trolleybuses now on order for the transport department of the corporation. Support of Members of Parliament is also to be sought.
SWINDON LOSES ELM CW1NDON Corporation's transport -Jundertaking made a deficit of £1,688 for the year ended March 31 last. TOES WILL BE TRODDEN ON
GRANTING several applications for licences for new bus services at a Durham sitting, Mr. S. W. Nelson, Northern Traffic Commissioner, said that he would not refuse the restoration of services withdrawn during the war. Somebody's toes would inevitably be trodden on, but operators would have to become accustomed to changes.
In the area concerned, new industries had been started and further services were needed. Existing services were not adequate because of the shortage of buses.
OPERATORS SHOULD STUDY THEIR OWN INTERESTS nUR1NG the war, and since, oper ators of stage and express services have been running under defence permits, and it is only now that the Commissioners are beginning to replace these by road service licences.
The Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association has repeatedly advised operators carefully to watch applications published in "Notices and Proceedings" to ascertain whether applications affect their own interests. Mr. F. A. Walker, the national secretary, has, in the past few weeks, been notified of several cases where operators have failed to observe such applications, and, in consequence, certain modifications have been granted affecting the interests of the particular members concerned.
The Association has, at Roadway House, 146, New Bond Street, London, W.1, copies of "Notices and Proceedings" for all areas, and these may be inspected, but, obviously, the best course is to obtain copies from the Commissioners at Is. per issue.
106 NEW VEHICLES NIEWCASTLE ON TYNE City NCouncil is to be asked to approve a tender for the supply of 56 motorbuses and 50 trolleybuses. The trolleybuses, which, it is understood, will carry 70 passengers, will be used to convert the last tram routes to trolleybus working. Motorbuses will meet normal demands of the transport department.