Reports of the Traffic Commissioners
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" WE feel that the decline in rural bus services has been exaggerated." These are the words of the Western Traffic Commissioners in their annual report for the period from April 1, 1961, to March 31, 1962. The Annual Reports of the Traffic Commissioners were published by H.M. Stationery Office, price 5s. 6d. net, last week. Three items concern the Commissioners mainly. They are the use of small buses, the question of withdrawal of rural services and• that of recruitment of platform staff. Overall the Commissioners, except in certain instances, do not seem over-concerned now with platform staff shortages, the impression being that these are no longer such a serious, nationwide problem as they have been in the past.
Apart from the dissenting opinion of the Western Commissioners, the Commissioners all feel that the rural bus service position is still serious. Many of them Say that it has eased. slightly during the year under review, but at least one warns that the future looks extremely grim, All the Commissioners agree that the illegal use of small buses is still increasing and that the difficulty of obtaining evidence for prosecutions has in no way lessened. There was a small increase in both the number of operators licensed and the vehicles operated during the year under review as compared with the previous year. At March 31 last, there were 5,249 operators with 67,893 vehicles in all the Traffic Areas, compared with 5,184 operators and 67,710 vehicles in 1961, .The number of operators with fleets Of 200 vehicles or more increased during the year from 61 to 65.
The following are brief details from the Commissioners' Reports.
Northern Area
A total of 55 new stage and express services were licensed during the year. Twenty road service licences were surrendered, the majority being for works services which were no longer required. Rural services continued to decline and the Commissioners continued to grant dispensations from compliance with the conditions of road service licences so that operators could economize as far as possible. The number of services for which dispensations for carrying conductors had been granted was 359, an increase of 78 over the previous year.
• At the end of the year there were 2,892 single-deck and 1,873 double-deck public service vehicles licensed in the area, an increase of 47 vehicles over the previous year. The standard of maintenance had remained satisfactory though there had been some difficulty in obtaining spare e6
parts for certain types due to production being affected when certain manufacturers were taken over by other companies.
Yorkshire Area During the year 34 new stage services and 21 new express services were licensed. Employers of labour in areas of high employment were finding it increasingly difficult to obtain local work people and were having to recruit from areas which, in some cases, involved a daily return journey of 100-120 miles. In all cases the services were subsidized by the employer. The shortage of platform staff continued to be a problem and one company was granted a temporary authority for three months to cut the frequencies of evening services, but local trades people and employers protested so strongly that these had to be restored in order that the company could maintain goodwill. The number of operators now authorized to run without conductors on certain services was 35, involving 400 services.
The demand for the small seating capacity vehicle had increased during the year; 116 now held p.s.v. licences. The recent introduction of new model chassis had again made 29-seat vehicles available but there had been little local demand for them.
North Western Area
Sortie operators were still finding it difficult to maintain unremunerative services and a number of licences were surrendered or allowed to lapse. It was known that in some instances operators had despaired of waiting any banger for possible financial assistance based upon the report of the Jack Committee and had been compelled either to abandon or substantially curtail unprofitable services. A total of 145 vehicles of the 8-12-seat type were licensed as p.s.v.s at March 31 last. At the same date, authority was in force for 36 operators and 517 vehicles to dispense with conductors on certain services.
West Midland Area
The gradual decline of rural facilities continued. How long they could or would be sustained by cross-subsidization from other traffics was a matter of conjecture. Whilst accepting that it was desirable, necessary and, indeed, essential in the 'public interest to maintain a railway system of the right size in the transport network, the Commissioners were having to take into account to an increasing extent the level of fares charged by competing facilities when exercising their discretion as to the transport needs of the area, and the adequacy
and suitability of-the facilities available to the public.
Operators of excursions and tours show a marked reluctance to eliminate unused and redundant destinations from their licences. A limited check showed that over one-third of licensed destinations were not operated at all over a period of three years. The Commissioners warn that " for the moment we 4re continuing our policy of peaceful persuasion in this connection." The growth of extended tours both in .the U.K. and Eire and on the Continent continued. Certifying officers reported that the general maintenance standard was satisfactory and where 'large operators were concerned, was quite high.
East Midland Area The general standard of maintenance was of a reasonably high order, but cases had come to notice where interior and exterior cleanliness required some improvement. Spot checking under service conditions was contributing towards allaying this problem. The total number of operators holding dispensations from the need to carry conductors. on certain services was 68, affecting 538 vehicles at March 31 last. The increasing use of small buses seemed to have slowed down, the number licensed at the end of the year being 158.
Eastern Area
Both the number of operators and the number of licensed p.s.v.s increased during the year: Operators from 332-334 and.p.s.v.s from 3,309 to 3,390. A total of 26 stage and 51 express services were withdrawn during the year. Comparatively small reductions had continued to take, place to stage services, mainly affecting late evening and Sunday journeys. On the other hand additional mileage had been licensed on a number of country routes to give new facilities to villages off main roads. Some small rural operators were averse to raising their fares to an economic level for fear of offending their customers. At the end of the year there were 660 services authorized to dispense with the use of conductors on occasions.
South Wales Area
The Commissioners referred to a method of chassis cleaning, the popularity of which was slowly increasing. The method used air pressure to spray tractor vaporizing oil and detergent on the underside of the vehicle, the loosened dirt then being hosed off with a highpressure jet. The equipment required was a simple pressure container and spraying lance. The method had the advantage that the equipment cost only about £40 and was as effective as the initially more expensive steam generator. The standard of vehicle maintenance improved slowly in urban areas but provided scope for improvement in rural areas. There might be some cause for concern in the future in the employment in urban areas of suitable maintenance staff. Licences for 74 new services were ranted but there had been further !Auctions in the existing rural bus !.rvice mileage. The decline was not great as in previous years. Looking arward, the position with regard to nremunerative services was far from romising. The limited number of proseutions was governed to a large extent y the employment of traffic examiners n special duties for a substantial period f the year. Jr the coming year, these ulcers would be employed fully on nforcement and this work would thereare increase.
Ve.stern Area ,Eighteen of the 46 new entrant. in this rea operated under road service licences. ifty-one services (116 in 1961) were urrendered. The . Commissioners felt se decline in rural bus services had been xaggerated. In point of fact, in the rea only one service not covered by ther services was abandoned during the ear. Seven new ones were licensed. One undred and twenty other new services 38 last year) were licensed. Of the 42 mall vehicles holding p.s.v. licences in he area, only two were used to supple-lent existing rural services. During the ear a further 56 single-deck buses had
been constructed or adapted for one-man Operation. Most companies reported an improvement in the platform staff position which was not now generally regarded as serious. Maintenance continued to be generally satisfactory. The use of small buses had resulted in a considerable increase in the number of cases investigated by enforcement officers. These prosecutions were unpopular with the public. It was difficult to convince the public generally that such illegal practices could conceivably be contrary to the wider public interest.
South Eastern Area The •Commissioners in this area, too, reported inereaSing use of small buses by workers travelling to and from work. The difficulty of finding evidence was emphasized. The number of passengers using regular service buses continued to decline, and at a greater rate on unremunerative services. Fifty-five dispensations from the requirement to carry conductors were authorized during the year; eight of them to small operators.
Metropolitan Area
There seemed little doubt that the use of small buses and private cars to carry people to and from work for hire or reward was on the increase. Evidence of payment was difficult to obtain. Another aspect of illegal operation which was causing the Commissioner concern was the use of unlicensed small buses for Continental travel since there were indications that some of these operations were of a poor standard. The standard of vehicle fitness and maintenance continued to be generally good, hut reports confirmed that continued examination was necessary.
Scottish Area
The number of 12-seater vehicles authorized at the end of the year was 446, an increase of 191 during the year. Only 90 of these were licensed by stage or express operators. About 70 per cent. of the remainder were in rural areas where they no doubt offered severe competition with the rural stage operator for private party work. At the end of the year 245 dispensations for one-man operation were in force, mostly in relation to rural services. There was an increase during the year of 16 operators and I 1 1 vehicles. The standard of maintenance continued to be satisfactory with the exception of the Western Isles. The practice among larger operators of extending the period between major overhauls was continuing and brought with it the need for regular inspection. This could not he done satisfactorily without regular under-chassis cleaning. Operators were being urged to provide adequate facilities for this work.