Southend Fares to be Reconsidered B ECAUSE the matter was urgent,
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Brig. Dowse, Metropolitan Licensing Authority, said last week that he would at once ask the Central Fares Committee and the Regional Fares Committees to consider the question of fares on services to Southend-on-Sea.
This action is being taken as a result of applications made by 10 coach operators, whose terminals are outside the Central London area, for increases from 4s. to 6s, in the day-return fare on Mon, days to Fridays, and from 5s. 9d. to 75. in the day-return fare on Saturdays. Sundays and Bank Holidays. Proportionate increases were sought in period return fares, which are now 6s. 6d. on weekdays and 8s. 3d. at other times.
The applications were based on claims of excessive mileage compared with that of operators in the central zone, and of uneconomic operation. It was stated that receipts barely covered running expenses, and that existing fares were much lower than the rail rates.
Brig. Dowse, who sat with Sir Henry Piggott, Deputy Licensing Authority, said that a good case had been made, but the question of fares in the Metropolitan Area as is whole had to be considered. Only a few of the large number of operators runnine. to Southend had applied for increased fares: • "The Commercial Motor" underA24 stands that the operators affected are well pleased with the result of the hearing. Before the war, when the fares fixed by the Traffic Commissioners were minima, concerns which covered extra mileage could make additional charges. but now that fares are fixed, some of the operators in the outer zones to the south, west and north of London are finding themselves out of pocket.