BRIEF ITEMS OF THE PAST WEEK
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Appeal Against Nine-year-old Service.
A REPRESENTATIVE of the Ministitry of Transport recently heard in Birmingham an appeal by Birmingham Corporation against the decision of the West Midland Commissioners granting a licence to Mr. H. Matins, of Bromsgrove, to run a workpeople's service between Longbridge and Rednal. The ground of the corporation's appeal was that the municipal tram service between the two points met all the public requirements. Mr. Malins stated that he had run the bus service for the past nine years and it was shown that 75 per cent. of the passengers carried were persons who used the service nine years ago.
Colchester Still Seeking Protection.
FOLLOWING the decision of the
Minister of Transport against the appeal of Colchester Corporation concerning the decision of the Eastern Traffic Commissioners preventing the corporation from imposing upon private bus proprietors a toll representing a percentage of fares collected on journeys within the borough, Colchester Town Council has been obliged to devote some time to the problem.
The transport committee recommended the council to apply to the Commissioners for a condition that private operators competing with corporation services should charge 50 per cent, more than the municipal fares. This suggestion was agreed to, whilst an amendment submitting a proposal that private operators be asked to make a voluntary payment of 25 per cent. on fares collected for journeys within the borough was rejected.
Western Area Council's Protest.
FURTHER news comes to hand of a
municipality in the Western Area complaining against decisions of the Traffic Commissioners, Ottery St. Mary Council has protested against the curtailment of Mr. R. Summers's bus service between Ottery and Exeter, the route including the villages of West Hill, Rockbeare and Hon iton Clyst. It was decided to send copies of the resolution to the Minister of Transport, the local Member of Parliament, etc.
Purfleet Council Considers Its Public.
CONSIDERABLE trouble has been taken by representatives of Purfleet Urban District Council to get local operators of bus services to co-ordinate their applications to the Traffic Comxnissioners so that the services, if licensed in accordance with those applications, would adequately meet the needs of the public. Reporting upon endeavours made in this direction at sittings of the Eastern Commissioners, the clerk and a member of the council expressed the opinion that it was difficult for the Traffic Commissioners, dealing with so large an area, to appreciate local needs, also that the public sittings seemed more occupied by controversies between opposing operators than by consideration of public requirements and examination of the local traffic movements to ensure the fitting in of services.
After a full discussion of the matter, the council passed a resolution to the effect that whilst considering a 6d.
minimum fare for vehicles operating in the Metropolitan Area would be of value, its opinion was that a is. minimum fare would make it impossible for coaches to operate on the Grays-East Ham route.
Commissioners for the Southern Area,
SIR REGINALD FORD, chairman of
the Southern Commissioners, announces that the Minister of Transport has appointed the following gentlemen to act as assistant Traffic Commissioners in the Southern Area for the year 1932 :—Mr. T. S. Mitchell (nominated by Hampshire County Council), representing the county councils; Mr. F. J. Privett, J.P. (nominated by Portstneuth Corporation), representing the county boroughs and urban district councils.
The Minister also has appointed as deputy Commissioners the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Macclesfield (nominated by Oxford County Council), and Messrs. W. C. J. Shortt and R. T. Alden (nominated respectively by Poole and Oxford Corporations). Liverpool Corporation—An Inquiry,
FOLLOWING information that has been published in this journal during the past few months concerning the position of Liverpool Corporation tramway and motorbus undertaking, Liverpool City Council has appointed a special transport committee of six, comprising leaders of the political parties and the chairman of the tramways and electricity committee, with the object of investigating the transport services and making recommendations to the council. Sir Thomas White, in proposing the appointment of such a committee,
pointed out that the reserve fund of the undertaking had decreased since 1928 from £350,000 to £17,000, and that, in the same period, the excess revenue had fallen from £250,000 to £21,000.
New Secretary for Northern Association.
OWING to the resignation of Mr. A.
Norman Brown, who has taken up an appointment in the Midlands, Mr. W. C. Percival has been appointed as secretary of the Northern Road Transport Owners' Association, Ltd. The address of the secretary's office has been changed to 6, Haymarket, Neweastleupon-Tyne.
Derby's Proposed Station.
PLANS for a municipal bus station in Derby are being submitted to the town council by the central improvements committee of that city. The scheme, it will be recalled, was outlined to the council in 1931, and the estimated cost was stated at £15,000. It is understood that the idea prevalent in Derby
that the station will be similar to that at Nottingham is a mistaken one. It is intended that there shall be four covered platforms, but that the vehicle ways will be uncovered.
Accommodation for nearly 60 vehicles is being reckoned upon, and there will probably be three groups of buildings. The foremost building will comprise an inquiry office, waiting-rooms, shops and, on the upper floor, a café. The central building will consist of offices for the bus companies, and the third building will house the canteen, etc., for drivers and conductors. There will be a park for vehicles awaiting departure.
Liverpool's Difficulty Again Considered.
AT the Liverpool sitting of the North Western Commissioners recently, Mr. W. Chamberlain, the chairman dealt with the future of bus services between Liverpool and Bootle, Litherland and Ford. Applications were made by Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., to run services over some of the routes which used to be operated by the Merseyside Touring Co., Ltd., and, later, by Liverpool Corporation, and it will be remembered that at previous sittings Liverpool Corporation applied to withdraw or vary certain services, the Bootle and Litherland authorities objecting.
Remarking upon the difficulties of the case, the chairman said that the Commissioners' opinion was that an important area such as this requires something more than a connection as between the two principal termini, and warrants the setting up of a comprehensive scheme, including remunerative and un
remunerative .services. The Commissioners are, of course, not bound to respect provisional agreements, made between the operators, to which the Commissioners are not parties.
Northumberland's Direct Protest. THE general purposes committee of
Northumberland County Council has drawn the attention of the Minister of Transport to the dissatisfaction existing in various parts of the county in consequence of the action of the Northern Commissioners in refusing to grant road service licences to small operators who have previously given satisfaction to the travelling public, and in granting additional licences to large operators, thus tending to create monopolies.
Huddersfield Corporation Succeeds. THE Yorkshire Commissioners at the
Huddersfield sitting a few days ago granted permission to Huddersfield Corporation to run a bus service from Tunshaw to Highburton. No objection was .raised. Heywood Corporation has lodged an appeal against the Commissioners' refusal in regard to a bus serlice between Heywood and Rochdale, via Bury and Bolton.
B46 these regulations. The Minister will, of course, consult the various organizations interested before so doing.
Dundee's Central Bus Station.
THE transport manager of Dundee Corporation, Mr. Robert Taylor, has submitted a report on the proposed adaptation of Shore Terrace for service as a central bus station for the town. The suggestion is that, for an experimental period, the site shall be used as a bus station without any expense being incurred in buildings or other works.
Glenton Tours for 1932.
ONE of the pioneers of motor-coach tours at inclusive fares in this country was Glenton Tours, Ltd., 401, Queen's Road, New Cross Gate, London, S.E.14. The company's activities are devoted entirely to motor-coach touring and special arrangements are in hand for the 1932 season, a number of Dennis Lancet coaches, with special Sunsaloon heads, being at present under construction.
The programme for the season has just been published and takes the form of a simple booklet giving f all details and graphic descriptions of several protracted tours that offer definite attraction. Seven-day tours to Devon, Wales, the Lake District, and Cornwall are available, for which the charge, inclusive of travel accommodation, all meals except lunch, and gratuities, is eight guineas. A more ambitious tour is one occupying 12 days and including many interesting parts of Scotland, the route being via Carlisle, Ayr, Loch Lomond, Chan, Stirling, Edinburgh, Newcastle and York. • The fare in this case is 16 guineas.
South Wales Joint Conciliation Board.
WHEN, in December, we reported upon the annual general meeting and dinner of the Motor Omnibus Proprietors Association, South Wales, we referred to efforts that were being made to establish a joint conciliation board to provide liaison between operators and employees in the public-service-vehicle business in South Wales.
Such a board has now been established. It is representative of the employing bus companies on the one hand and the National Union of General and Municipal Workers, as well as the Transport and General Workers Union, on the other hand. Mr. Howell M. Davies, of Imperial Motor Services, Abercynon, who for long has been chairman of the Motor Omnibus Proprietors Association, has been appointed chair man of the board, and Mr. Clifford Thomas, secretary of the association, will act as a joint secretary of the board in conjunction with Mr. A. E. Morris, divisional organizer of the Transport and General Workers Union.
South Wales shows signs of leading the way as regards organization of the road-travel industry generally.
Morecambe's New Restriction.
AN important question has been raised before Morecambe Corporation by the Yorkshire Motor Coach Owners Association. The corporation has asked for a condition that public service vehicles running into the borough shall not, in the interval between arrival and departure, be used for the purpose of gain, such as by the running of short excursions. The association asks that an exception be made in the case of vehicles which are employed by some other operator who, himself holding a road-service licence, hires a vehicle for temporary use. The watch committee of Morecambe Corporation has not approved of the suggested amendment. Southern Commissioners' statement on 1932 Fares.
AT the recent sitting of the Southern Commissioners at Reading, when seasonal services, excursions and tours were being considered, Sir Reginald Ford, the chairman, announced that this year the Commissioners do not prbpose to make any alteration in the fare schedules, except, of course, in instances where fares prove to be much above or below recognized rates. Operators in the South Eastern and Metropolitan Areas, incidentally, are rather anxious for the Commissioners to make a move in the direction of settling fares for the season, which is shortly opening.
Devon General Acquisition.
is announced that the Devon 'General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd., has concluded an arrangement to take over A. Timpson and Sons,. Ltd., and Grey Cars, Ltd., Torquay. The last-named concern started motor-coach operation in Torquay in 1913. The £20,000 garage in Torwood Street is being taken over. Premier Line's Maidenhead-Slough Licence Granted.
LOCAL dissatisfaction at the decision of the Minister on the Premier Line appeal is expressed at Windsor. The Minister of Transport decided to make an Order on the Commissioners to license a stage service between Maidenhead and Slough, but has refused to allow the route to be continued to Windsor. The importance of the case is increased by the fact that hospital visitors are affected by the curtailment of the service.