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Wilfrii

16th February 1962
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Page 22, 16th February 1962 — Wilfrii
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Bus, Chiswick, Liverpool, Wilfrid

Vlartin Hall

THE incomparable advantage of growing to maturity during the formative years of the road passenger transport industry is one that has been enjoyed by Mr. Wilfrid Martin Hall, this year's president of the Municipal Passenger Transport Association. As general manager of Liverpool Corporation Passenger Transport, he controls one of the largest municipal undertakings in the country. Mr. Hall has held this position, which involves the responsibility for some 1,250 vehicles, since 1948, and for a couple of years previous to that was deputy general manager. One of the first tasks confronting him when he took over was the conversion of much of the Liverpool system from tram to bus operation, a scheme that brought into play a high proportion of the comprehensive experience that he had gained over the years.

At the commencement of. his career in 1918 Wilfrid Hall's ambitions pointed in the general direction of automotive engineering. He started as an indentured apprentice to the old London General Omnibus Co., five years' work and study leading him to the position of engineering draughtsman with that organization. He was then 21, and a university degree appeared to be the key to open the door to the higher ranks of the industry. In those days there was a great gulf between the ordinary young man and the graduate, far more so than is the case today, but Wilfrid Hall was not daunted by the prospect of years of part-time study. The culmination of his efforts was the award of a London University B.Sc.(Eng.) degree.

After seven years with the L.G.O.C. the young man was chosen for three years' special training as a cadet with the London Underground Group. He was one of the first to be selected from the staff for this training course, which provided traffic and commercial experience with the rail, bus, tram and trolleybus undertakings. Completion of this training was followed by appointment as a technical assistant at the Chiswick works, with subsequent promotion to section engineer in control of a portion of that establishment. .

When the clouds of war were gathering in 1938, Wilfrid Hall, then assistant engineering superintendent at Chiswick, was offered an appointment as chief automobile engineer to the 'Glasgow Corporation Transport Department, his responsibilities including bus maintenance, and the overhaul of buses and other vehicles attached to the fleet. But the scope of the appointment was to' widen considerably during the succeeding years, for the department undertook considerable work for the Government in the assembly of vehicles in their own shops and in the training of men as automotive mechanics for the Services.

Much investigation was carried out into the use of producer gas for public service vehicles, and Mr. Hall was appointed to a Government-sponsored committee to develop designs and practice. In due course he was appointed to command a company of the Home Guard with the rank of Major and played a vital part in the maintenance of all Civil Defence transport in the Glasgow area.

During those 10 busy years in Scotland Wilfrid Hall still played more golf than has been possible since. Although he has other personal interests, he feels, on reflection, that over the years road transport has been the main thing-that has filled any spare hours.

Into his " spare-time " activities must fall membership of the Institute of Transport, in the Merseyside Section of which he has played a prominent part. He is also a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and is a past chairman of that body's North-West section. Mr. Hall became associated with the M.P.T.A. after his arrival in Liverpool. He was appointed a member of the council and later elected to the National Joint Industrial Council for the Road Passenger Transport Industry, to represent the municipal side of the industry.

Probably it was largely due to a paper given at one of the M.P.T.A. conferences that this organization established its pilot scheme for management training. This plan is divided into three phases which deal with engineering, traffic matters and management, the object being to prepare young executives so that they will have a wide vision in the future and their judgment. will not be hampered by sectional consideration.

In the post-war world, contends Mr. Hall, young engineers of high calibre are needed by the road passenger industry, but are being deflected from the "bus world," at the time which may be regarded as their " approach period," by the attractions of the more glamorous varieties of engineering of the 'sixties. Such fields may offer vast prizes to the few, but remain unlikely to present to the many a satisfying opportunity for service to their fellow men.

Although, in so large an undertaking as Liverpool, it is

difficult to maintain contact with the staff as a whole, Mr. Hall endeavours to attend as-many staff functions as Ossible and is president of the employees' association. The very nature of the job prevents it being practicable to be acquainted with each individual, but, in fact, by his contacts and presence at the various functions, a corresponding aim is achieved in that he is well known.

So far as city transport is concerned, Wilfrid Hall says that the industry must realize that it is facing a drastic change in the habits of the public. At the present time the continuing drift from the inner areas to the outskirts of the cities and the shorter working hours both intensify the problems of the peak period. Larger vehicles must, he feels, be used to combat this situation, and ultimately he expects a swing back to public transport as the bus undertakings become more geared to the situation and the individual members of the public adjust themselves to the idea that the convenience and economy of the bus are well worth while.

So that the public service vehicle shall be enabled to carry out its function efficiently, Mr. Hall looks to important future developments in the park-and-ride system whereby the private motorist may leave his car outside the city centres and travel the last leg of his journey by bus.

He is firm in the belief that, because of its potential efficiency in moving large numbers of passengers at busy times, special treatment should be given to enable the bus to move freely in the increasing congestion of the streets. As instances of reasonable provisions that could be considered to this end, Mr. Hall suggests special lanes for bus traffic at peak periods and permission, where desirable, for buses to travel in the reverse direction along what are ordinarily one-why streets.

A.T, n17


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