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THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS

16th August 1932, Page 58
16th August 1932
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Page 58, 16th August 1932 — THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
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HIGHLAND OPERATOR ARRANGES ACQUISITION.

IT was announced by Sir Alexander MacEwen, chairman of the Highland Transport Co., Ltd., at the company's annual general meeting, that the Highland concern has made arrangements to purchase the bus business of Messrs. A. Robertson and Son, of Wick. This includes a valuable mail contract in respect of the route from Wick to Helmsdale, adding another 88 route-miles to the company's system.

It was anticipated that next year the concern would be able to provide a continuous service from Inverness to Wick and Thurso. The Highland Transport Co., Ltd., in which the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. has a 50-percent. interest, has an authorized capital of £50,000 and operates 55 vehicles, including buses of Albion and A.E.C. makes.

S.M.T. SHARE-INCREASE PROPOSAL.

IT was arranged to hold a meeting, yesterday, of shareholders of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., to increase the capital of the company to £1,875,000 by creating 75,000 new ordinary 11 shares, and to give the directors authority to carry through the acquisition of the shares of the Lanarkshire Traction Co.

The offer of the S.M.T. to acquire the Lanarkshire shares has been accepted by holders of over 90 per cent, of the shares of the Lanarkshire company.

U.A.S. APPEAL.

AN appeal has been lodged by the United Automobile Services, Ltd., against the refusal of the Northern Traffic Commissioners to grant the company a licence to operate a service from Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay. The company claims the right to provide facilities for excursion traffic from Whitby during the summer season.

When the U.A.S. licence application was made, it was objected to by Capt. T. Stubbs (Heather Service), Mr. B. Hammond, and Milburn and Co. The appeal will be heard at Northallerton.

LICENSING DELAY CRITICIZED.

CRITICISM of the delay in granting a public service vehicle licence by the North Western Traffic Commissioners was made by the Birkenhead magistrates, when Mr. F. D. Cartwright was fined for driving a coach without a licence, Mr. A. Harding, the operator, also being fined.

It was stated that a licence applicaB40 tion was made on June 9th, but the licence was not issued until July 4th, and the offence occurred in the meantime. Mr. T. T. Rees, chairman of the magistrates, said that there was " slackness somewhere" in the Commissioners' system.

DISCOUNT TICKETS BANNED.

THE Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners have given notice, in granting licences for Rotherham Corporation's bus services, that the issue of prepaid discount tickets is to be discontinued. The transport committee recommends that an appeal should be made against this ruling.

MUNICIPAL PRIVATE HIRE VETOED.

HASLINGDEN Town Council has had under consideration the question of allowing motorbuses to be used for private hire on Sundays. It was decided to rescind a former resolution to permit corporation buses to be used for this purpose.

BUS-TICKET MACHINES IN LONDON.

TN the forecourt of London Bridge —Station, the London General Omnibus Co.. Ltd.. has installed four automatic ticket-issuing machines. Most of the passengers who use the buses starting from this point, during the morning rush hours, travel short distances, so that, in the time available, conductors cannot cope with the demand for tickets.

AGREEMMNT ON HOURS AND WAGES.

NECESSARY measures to secure an agreement on the working hours and wages of operatives are to be taken by drivers and conductors employed by Hillman's Saloon Coaches, London, E. Some 200 men are involved, 90 per cent, of whom are said to be members of the Transport and General Workers Union.

BUS-SERVICE PETITION FAILS.

AS already announced in The C orn niercial Motor, 1,100 residents and traders of Winchmore Hill sent a petition to the Minister of Transport asking him to restore the bus service from Winchmore Hill to Pimlico, which was discontinued under a new scheme of the London General Omnibus Co., Lt., for co-ordinating tram and bus facilities in certain parts of north London. The Minister is, however, unable to meet the request.

MAGISTRATES OVERRIDE COMMISSIONERS' DECISION.

THE Todmorden magistrates recently overruled the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners' decision in refusing Mr. S. R. Sutcliffe a licence to drive a public service vehicle.

Mr. Sutcliffe was convicted on May 19th for driving to the danger of the public and was fined 410, the result being that the Commissioners refused him a licence and threw out his appeal. The magistrates, however, decided that the licence should be renewed.

NEW RESTRICTED LONDON STREET.

THE Minister of Transport has given formal notice of his intention to make an Order and Regulations under Section 7 of the London Traffic Act, 1924, prohibiting the operation of buses in Westhorne Avenue, Eltham.

The Minister has referred the matter to the London and Homo Counties Traffic Advisory Committee for advice and report. Any person who wishes to make representations should forward them in writing to the secretary, Ministry of Transport, 7, Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W.1, by August 23rd.

WESTERN WELSH LICENCE REVOKED.

EARLY last week, Mr. A. T. James, K.C., the chairman of the South Wales Traffic Commissioners, at Cardiff, permanently revoked the licence of the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd., to operate from Abergavenny to Cardiff and from Cardiff to Barry.

It was alleged that the company had charged a fare of 2s. 9d. for journeys from Newport to Barry, instead of 8s., as agreed by various concerns, and that it infringed the condition relating to the setting down and picking up of passengers at Cardiff and Newport. On behalf of the company, it was stated-that the offences were due to abnormal holiday traffic.

The Commissioner announced that temporary weekly licences would be granted to Lewis and James, Ltd., a subsidiary concern of the Western Welsh undertaking.

TRAM ABANDONMENT URGED.

STEPS have been taken by Brentford and Chiswick Urban District Council to urge London United Tramways, Ltd., to abandon the existing tramways system in Boston Road and to replace it by a system of buses. The Ealing authority is to ascertain the extent of the powers of the company and local authorities in this matter. LIVERPOOL CORPORATION'S LOSSES EXPLAINED.

THU reasons for Liverpool Corpora

tion's losses on its transport system have been explained by Mr. P. Priestley, the general manager, who states that Liverpool is a difficult city for which to provide a really efficient transport system.

"The whole life of the city," he explains, "and, with it, nearly the whole travelling publie, is concentrated within a radius of a mile or so of the pier head for its business. This means that at certain times of the day there arc peak loads of thousands of people all wanting to go in the same direction at the same time, and comparatively few to use the returning vehicles."

There are no industrial centres, except Warrington and St. Helens, within the reach of Liverpool for ordinary transport purposes, so that Liverpool Corporation is left to make its transport pay from its own population.

It is further pointed out that the casual dock labourers cannot pay higher fares.

NO TRAM SUBSIDIZATION.

TT was reported at a meeting of Dart ford Urban District Council that Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd.. applied to the South-Eastern Traffic Commissioners for a reduction of the fares charged on the routes covered by the light railways, so as to place the fares at a parity with those charged by the Joint Tramways Committee.

The Traffic Commissioners decided that, having regard to the decision of the Minister of Transport on the appeals of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd.,' and East Surrey Traction Co., Ltd., they had no option but to allow the application.

NO SMOKING ON DUTY.

A CASE at Coalville, Leicester, serves to remind bus drivers and conductors that they must not smoke while their vehicles are travelling. A driver and conductor were summoned for this offence, which is .punishable by a fine of £5 and tha endorsement of licence, but no conviction was recorded, as the superintendent of the police did not press for a penalty.

FEEDER SERVICE REFUSED.

AN appeal is being made by United Automobile Services, Ltd., against the refusal of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners to license a feeder service from York to Scarborough in connection with the company's long-distance service from York to London.

Whilst Scarborough Corporation desires to encourage all traneport facilities, it cannot take any such part in an appeal as might appear to be partial.

• FLNGLANDS" INCREASING ACTIVITIES.

THE London office of Finglands Hire Cars, Ltd., at 69, Southampton Row, W.0.1, which was opened in the spring of this year, has proved a success, and we are told by Mr. I. Benjamin, the manager, that the company is experiencing a most encouraging season.

Before the end of the year the concern is to increase its fleet by six vehicles, although we are not yet at liberty to divulge the make selected. At present the company is operating eight

T.S.M. 26-seater coaches, the latest member of the fleet--a T.S.M. with a Duple 26-seater body of extremely modern design—having been put into -service a few weeks ago.

The company's coaching activities are confined to the London-Manchester route, and we are told that its privatehire coach business is rapidly growing.

FREE PARKING AT RIPON.

RIPON City Council has rejected a proposal that coaches and buses should be charged a parking fee of is. 6d. when stopping in the Market Square. Parking is to be free for a "reasonable period."

UNIONS' AGREEMENT IN THE NORTH.

THE road-transport sections of the National Union of Railwaymen and the Transport and General Workers Union have reached an agreement regarding the organization of the employees in Northumberland and Durham of the United Automobile Services, Ltd. In Northumberland, new trades unionists will be enrolled by the N.T.T.R. and employees in Durham will join the Transport and General Workers Union.

WOLVERHAMPTON'S id. FARES IN ABEYANCE.

IN the spring of this year the public of Wolveehampton had some hope of 1d. fares being introduced on the municipal transport system, but the authorities have not been able to see their way to make this innovation, because the department's income has been reduced.

The transport committee is effecting certain economies in operating costs, but it is still found that there is a considerable reduction in receipts, believed to be due to trade depression.

APPEAL AGAINST LICENCE CONDITIONS.

TO-DAY (August 16th), at 11 a.m., at

the Council Chambers, Brighton, an appeal by the small operators of Brighton is to be heard against the imposition of the Brighton "C ".conditions.

NO FARE REDUCTIONS.

THE transport committee ef Colches ter Corporation considers that the present fares are not unreasonable, regard being had to the scattered population in a large portion of the area served by its buses. No general reduction of fares e can be affected without loss. "FLAYED WITH BY RAILWAYS AND CORPORATION."

AS the result of the Bootle protest meeting against the decision of the Minister of Transport to revoke the licences of MacShane's Motors, Ltd., in favour of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., a town's meeting was held in the Bootle Town Hall last Wednesday evening.

Efforts are being made to persuade the Minister of Transport to receive a deputation of public men from the area affected by his decision.

The public meeting, attended by over 2,000 persons, which preceded the town's meeting, passed a resolution stating that it would be most unfair if, as a result of the action of the Minister, a private company which has laid out £40,000 to enable it to operate bus services under licences granted by the North-Western Commiseioners, should lose that amount of capital.

The resolution continued : "The meeting feels very strongly that the district generally has been played with by the railway company's interest on the one hand mid Liverpool Corporation trains on the other."

MacShane's Motors, Ltd., ordered 35 Albion vehicles to carry on its sereices, 15 of which are in use at present, whilst the remainder are being delivered at the rate of about three a week. In last week's issue we published a picture of one of the new machines, all of which, we understand, have Mumford bodies.

BUSES FOR TRAMS AT NORWICH.

SUBJECT to Parliamentary confirma tion, Norwich City Council will purchase the undertaking of the Norwich Electric Tramways Co., for i1/5,000, with the object of gradually substituting buses for trams.

A preliminary announcement of the proposed purchase was made in our issue dated August 2nd, when we mentioned that the company's fleet of buses comprises 27 vehicles of Bristol, Dennis, Guy and Leyland makes.

C.C. PROPOSAL TO SEEK INJUNCTION AGAINST CORPORATION.

A SOMEWHAT startling sequel is

announced in connection with Lincoln Corporation's application to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners for permission to run a bus service from the city to North Hykeham. The Commissioners deferred their decision until their next sitting, and if the ruling be favourable to the corporation, Kesteven County Council is to take out an injunction to prevent the service from being operated.

It appears that, under the Lincoln Corporation Act, the municipality has no power to run buses outside the city without obtaining the consent of the county council. On the other hand, the corporation will not allow buses from Kesteven to pick up or set down passengers in Lincoln, unless a protective fare be charged.

The corporation's decision to seek permission to operate the new service, which was previously run by Mr. V. Chappell, was announced in last week's issue.

NEW LIST OF SITTINGS.

IT should be noted that the list of sit tings arranged by the Northern Traffic Commissioners to be held during SePtember, has been revised in several respects.

LICENCE SUSPENDED.

TliE Eastern Traffic Commissioners have suspended until August 25th a licence granted to Mr. Oscar Reynolds, of Great Yarmouth, for the operation of excursions and tours. We understand that, through no fault of Mr. Reynolds, a booking agent infringed a fare condition.

An appeal against the Commissioners' ruling was held at the Ministry of Transport, London, last Thursday. On the same date an appeal by Mr. A. Bebling against a decision of the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners was heard.

INTER-RUNNING DISCUSSION.

THE transport committee of Accring ton Corporation is to hold a special meeting fully to discuss the whole question of the bus inter-running arrangements with Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., at present in force under the terms of an agreement with that company, dated September 24th, 1930.

UNIONS AGREE.

AGREEMENT has been reached by all but two of the trades unions concerned with the proposals of the Underground group of companies to institute a graded reduction of wages and salaries. It has been agreed by them that a modified form of the proposals shall come into operation on September 3rd.

LONDON OFFICE CHANGE.

COMPLETE control of the London business of Black and White Motorways, Ltd., has been transferred from 15a, Hammersmith Bridge Road, to new premises at 2, Charing Cross, London, S.W.1. Mr. Prince and Mr. Pope will both ho at the new office, and the premises at Hammersmith Bridge Road are now being used as a booking office only for the general public.

EMERGENCY-DOOR INQUIRY.

A MINOR accident in which lower

deck passengers in a Salford Corporation double-deck bus were imprisoned until the orthodox exit was cleared, resulted in a discussion at a meeting of the city council, last Wednesday, on the need for emergency doors in lower saloons. Alderman Greenwood, chairman of the transport committee, promised to make an inquiry, but mentioned that the municipal vehicles met official requirements.

B42 CO-OPERATIVE BUS WORKING FAVOURED..

IT is understood that several members

of the committee of the Blaydon Cooperative Society favour the consideration of the question of inaugurating bus services. Messrs. Robson Bros., of High Spen, who operate in the Newcastle district and who are said to be pressed by competition from the big companies, are a firm mentioned as suitable for acquisition by the society.

"ROVER" TICKETS TO CONTINUE.

THE vexed question of the issue of " rover " tickets by the Cumberland Services, Ltd., was again brought to the notice of the Northern Traffic Commissioners recently, opposition to the issue of the tickets 'being entered by the Northern Road Transport Owners Association.

These tickets cost Sc. and permit a distance up to 198 miles to be covered, and, in some quarters, they' are re garded as. a form of cut fare.

Sir John Maxwell, the chairman of the Commissioners, said that itwas their duty to secure uniform rates. Cumberland Motor Services, Ltd., was allowed to issue the tickets until the end of September.

NEW NEWCASTLE BUS SERVICE.

A NEW bug service from Grainger

Street to Crag Hall Dene, via Matthew Bank, has been inaugurated by Newcastle Corporation. On week-days a 15-minute frequency is being maintained.

TRANSFERRING CARDIFF DEPOT.

WHEN the South Wales Traffic

Commissioners sit at Cardiff on August 31st, Red and White Services, Ltd., will apply for permission to substitute Wood Street for Kingsway as Cardiff Depot, in respect of routes from Cardiff to Gloucester, Newport to Cardiff, Aberdare to London and Treherbort to Gloucester.

The Great Western Express Co., Ltd., which has amalgamated with the Red and White concern, will ask for the substitution of Wood Street for Morgan Street as Cardiff Depot, in respect of services from London to Swansea and Cardiff.

IS IT A STAGE CARRIAGE?

AN interesting case was recently heard

by the West London magistrates -when Messrs. A. Rose and L. S. Cunningham, of Wembley, were summoned for using a stage carriage, or, alternatively, an express carriage, without a road-service licence. It appears that the defendants, who are booking agents, advertised a trip from Wembley to Stamford Bridge Speedway at a return fare of is. W., the bus used having been hired from the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. The vehicle was provided only for members of the Wembley Speedway Supporters' .Club, but by filling up a club membership form and paying a subscription of '2s., in addition to the fare, a police sergeant was able to take part in the trip.

He was provided with a membership ticket which, as well as allowing him to travel by the bus, entitled him to attend speedway tracks at reduced prices.

The prosecution contended that this was not a special occasion (similar tripe were run to other speedway meetings), it was not a private party, and the vehicle was not hired under a contract. The hearing of the case was adjourned.

FREE BUS PASSES

kCCRINGTON town councillors are to be granted passes enabling them to travel free on the corporation buses.

LLANELLY WANTS BUSES.

LLANELLY Borough Council wants more buses to pass through the town, and is complaining that bus companies now tend to side-track it, resulting in logs of trade.

It is suggested that the South Wales Traffic Commissioners should be asked to develop services through Llanelly. To this end a report, showing what has been Llanelly's loss in bus traffic, is to be prepared for presentation to the Commissioners.

PROTESTS AGAINST iffi PER MILE.

VILLAGERS in Edlington, Yorkshire, are strongly protesting against Doncaster Corporation's action in raising the fare from Edlingtan to Doncaster from 2d. to 4d,, thus charging on a basis of id. per mile. It is maintained that the increased fares constitute a burden on unemployed persons.

U.A.S. SUMMER PROGRAMME.

THE United Automobile Services, Ltd., Darlington, has now its full summer programme in operation. In addition to the usual seasonal services, a further group of new services has been inaugurated.

What is probably the longest crosscountry service not running into London is that jointly run with the "Eastern Counties" concern between Newcastle, Darlington, Leeds, Lincoln and Lowestoft. This has provided an important link on a route with a poor train service.

Another new seaside service is that between Darlington and Scarborough, via Bilsdale and Pickering.

Several applications for increases of Scarborough town services, now operated by buses and taken over from the local tramways company, when the tramways were abandoned last, winter, are pending.

The Yorkshire Commissioners have granted a backing for a licence to operate a two-hourly LeedsMiddlesbrough • service jointly with the " West Yorkshire" concern. We understand that this is to replace the present "Redwing" service, a subsidiary of the "United." NEW BUS COMPANY.

THE Red Bus Services, Ltd., has been registered as a private company with a capital of £12,000 in £1 shares, the subscribers being Mr. N. D. Reyne and Mrs. M. Reyne, of Stroud. The registered office of the company is the Austral Garage, Lansdown, Stroud.

MORE PASSENGERS FOR WALLASEY BUSES. bTJRING the municipal year ended March 31st last, Wallasey Corporation's buses carried 15,632,036 passengers and earned receipts of £130,862, the respective figures for the previous year being 13,372,607 and £116,738.

The tram passengers totalled 8,734,628, whilst the receipts amounted to £46,501, which contrasts with 11352,416 passengers and £61,514 a year ago. The corporation is gradually replacing trams by buses.

MORE BUSES FOR TRAMS.

THE Yorkshire (Woollen District)

Electric Tramways td., has applied to the Yorkshire Co.,;Commissioners for a licence to operate a bus service on the Dewsbury-Ravensthorpe route.

MR. J. ROSCOE'S AFFAIRS.

IN Manchester an adjourned meeting

was recently held a the creditors of Mr. J. Roscoe, of Bolton, carrying on business as a coath proprietor at 27, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester. Mr. --Roscoe was adjudicated bankrupt.

SHEFFIELD TO issuy WALKING. TOUR TICKETS. SHEFFIELD Corporation has succeeded in its application to the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners for permission to issue day-return walking-tour tickets, on certain services.


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