0-m-o puts West Midlands in the black
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• The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive completed the year ended December 31 1971 with a credit balance on the year's operations of £536,626. This was due in no small measure to the extension of one-manoperation, and was achieved without redundancy, comments Cllr David Gilrov Bevan, new WMPTA chairman, in the Authority's second annual report, now published.
At the end of 1971 about one-quarter of WMPTE buses were one-man operated; including nearly all the double-deckers on some of the most dense city services.
The PTE is the only one to have had no assistance from a precept on local rates; however, a rate of 0.2164p will be levied to meet losses on rail services during 1972.
The PTE decided in 1971 to standardize on the Bell Punch Autofare system.
Engineering activities had been reorganized on a fleet basis, and were divided into two groups under the chief engineer; one is responsible for the 18 garages and all vehicle maintenance; the other for overhaul, major engineering work and plant and building maintenance.
During the year 142 Daimler Fleetline double-deckers with Metro-Cammell, Park Royal or Northern Counties bodies were delivered. Some 234 double-deck and 25 single-deck buses were sold or prepared for disposal.
By December, the fleet totalled 1932 buses — 653 double-deckers and 78 single-deckers suitable for o-m-o, and balance of 1192 double-deckers and nine single-deckers.
Says the chairman: "With the contesting demands of both public and private road users we must make courageous decisions, and utilize fully those under-used rail links planned by far sighted transporters of a previous age. The merits of a secondary form of rapid transport-rail-overground and underground must be fully appreciated."