Ulm MPTE surplus 'exceptional'
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• A surplus of £1,564.000 achieved by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive for the year ended December 31, 1971, was "exceptional", warns the annual report approved by the PTA in draft form last week.
Mr Albert Burrows, director-general, says the increase in the net surplus from £314,000 in 1970 to £785,000 last year understates the real improvement, however. The outstanding balance of severance payments and revenue losses of the previous undertakings had been cleared; the rate precept almost halved; and expenditure kept below budget.
A better service to the public was indicated by the increase of over one million miles (3.2 per cent) operated, through improved recruitment and better vehicle availability.
Fleet statistics show that by December, of a total of 1330 buses, 801 were suitable for o-m-o, comprising 644 of the 1173 doubie-deckers and all 157 single-deckers. During the year the PTE received 84 Leyland Atlanteans with Alexander bodies, 35 Bristol VRT double-deckers with East Lancashire bodies, and 10 Bristol RE single-deckers with Eastern Coach Works bodies all fitted with radios. Some 77 buses were withdrawn from service.
The North division had been allocated 528 buses: South 512; and Wirral 290. All new double deckers will be standard 9.5 metres rear-engined buses with single front entrance /exit bodies.
A new rota docking system with the emphasis upon more frequent examination had reduced the necessity for longer periods of withdrawal of vehicles for overhaul.
Other factors listed in the report include the introduction of five new Rapidride services, 16 additional routes now one-man operated, arid completion during the year of the Bus Economy Ticket system in the two Liverpool divisions.
A programme of market research into price and time elasticity was started by Liverpool University and involved an off-peak travel discount experiment and a decreased journey time experiment.