News of Municipal Activities
Page 31
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ROAD CHEAPER THAN RAIL TRANSPORT. .
When the streets and works Committee reported to Leominster Council, a few days ago, it was shown that the haulage by road of material for road works was much cheaper than rail transport. The committee had, it was stated, spent much time in endeavouring to split up the contracts in order that the railway company, which was a large ratepayer, should have some share. It was impossible, however, to give any part of the stone-haulage work to the company, because the council was unable to pay more for haulage than the county council.
It was pointed out that, against the tender of is. 2d. per ton which had been accepted, the railway company required is. 1.0d. per ton for the first mile, and an addition for every mile afterwards. The council adopted the committee's recommendation to accept tenders for road haulage at a cost of is. 2d. per ton. '
Manchester's Transport Budget.
In the budget of Manchester Corporation some interesting figures are given of the cost of operating certain important wings of the municipaltransport service.
As regards motorbuses, the estimated traffic revenue for 1934-35 is £810,000, through" and inter-operation revenue £16,000, and miscellaneous receipts £4,500, totalling £830,500, against which have to be set traffic and other expenses, etc.; of £798,000. A profit of £32,000 is thus anticipated.
The highways department estimates its expenditure for the year on horsed transport at £11,730, whilst mechanical vehicles (steam and petrol) will cost only £44800. Provision is made for horse hire and haulage from stations and docks to the amount of £8,170.
Even more striking is the transport budget of the cleansing department. Horse-drawn, vehicles, including wages, materials, depot expenses, etc., are placed at £66,310, petrol-driven machines £37,670, rail transport £11,946, and water transport £3,870.
Important Cheshire Bridges Conference.
A schedule showing 71 bridges that were stated to be inadequate to carry vehicles weighing over 12 tons laden or with an axle weight of over eight tons, was presented to a recent con ference on weak bridges in Cheshire. Of these the owners were the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (59), Manchester Ship Canal (9), Cheshire Lines Committee (2) and the Great Western Railway (1).
The road-transport interests suggested that the restrictions likely to be made in connection with the bridges scheduled would prove a great handicap to trade in general, and the hope was expressed that the operation of Section 80 of the Act would be postponed until suitable measures had bpen taken to avoid hindering transport.
It was resolved that the conference should urge the Ministry to give financial assistance at an early date in the essential rebuilding of weak bridges, also that Section 80 should not he put into operation until such time as the county council could inform the Minister that no inconvenience to the general Public would result.
The conference was unable to accept the statement that the scheduled bridges ought properly to be classed as weak, and it was decided that, for the time being, no priority list should be prepared. This proposition a as, of course, opposed by the bridge cwners. The report was presented to Cheshire County Council yesterday. PORTSMOUTH ACCEPTS HAULAGE TENDERS.
Portsmouth Corporation atcepts the following tenders for the hire of 3-ton lorries and drivers :—Messrs. T. Cobb and Sons, £1-15s. for tipping vehicles and £1 14s. for non-tipping lorries for a day. of Si hours, and Mr. H. T. Hughes £1 15s. and £1 14s. respectively. For 30-cwt. lorries with tipping or non-tipping bodies, aria drivers, the committee accepted the tender of Messrs. Freer Bros. at £1 1s. lid.
Aberdeen to Advertise for Manager.
By 16 votes to 14, Aberdeen Town Council has decided to advertise for a transport manager to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of Mr. J. L. Gunn to Nottingham. The salary is £750 a year, rising to £900.