CARRYING SIX MILLION PASSENGERS A YEAR.
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The Activities of an Important Lancashire Company who are Making Considerable Extensions to their Services.
A LTIMITGII Ribble Motor Services, Ilt.Ltd., of Preston, already operate a most comprehensive system of bus services, they have almost completed plans for considerable extensions, which will include the opening up of a further 100 milers of route. This development has been rendered possible as a result of the authorities at Liverpool and Bootle granting the company the necessary permission to run vehicles from the centre of Liverpool to Southport, 'Preston and Wigan. These journeys, which are to be made in accordance with time-table arrangements, are likely to be inaugurated in the early part of April, and Liverpool will then be directly linked up with the vast network of services worked by the Ribble Company, which extend so far as Barnoldswick in the north, Rochdale and Todrnorden in the -East and Blackpool in the west.
Some idea of the magnitude of the enterprise of the Ribble Company will be gathered when it is mentioned that, at the time of writing, their fleet consists of 89 vehicles, and others will shortly be added. Many of the buses are single-deck Leylands, seating 38 passengers, .. and, fitted with double entrances, and it is probable that this type of vehicle will be employed for the trio of new routes to radiate from Liver. peol. The average number of passengers carried, pet annum by the company's vehicles is between six million and seven million. As a matter of fact. the approximate figure for the nine months ended January last was 5,400,000, whilst the total mileage for the same period was 2,111,000. • Two hundred and sixty miles of motorbus routes are now being served
by Ribble buses, and when the projected extensions are carried out the route mileage will be increased to about n50. It appears that Liverpool, which up•to the present lias been isolated from the great bus .setvices by which it is surrounded, Will soon become an important terminal point, and to the Itihble Company must be accorded the credit of having taken the initiative in this matte'.
On the Cheshire side, the Wirral Peninsula is honeycombed with the routes of the Cross-ilk Motor Co., of Chester, who have recently developed their routes in North Wales and who also run into Lancashire (the nearest terminal points to Joiverpool are. Garston, Gatacre and Warrington), whilst the Lancashire 'United Tramways, Ltd., whose headquarters are at Atherton, are also now running services within easy, reach of the city.
These developments seem all the more significant when it is considered that a few years ago the Liverpool Corppration operated a big fleet –of buses, without, however, being able to make headway. although latterly progress has been made in improving the communications of the suburban_ districts by means of self-propelled road vehicles. Both the Liverpool and the Bootle Corporations have approved of the proposal of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., and it is anticipated that the routes from Liverpool will be as fellow:—
Liverpool to Preston, via Maghull and Ormskirk.
Liverpool to Southport, via Crosby and Formby. Liverpool to Wigan, a Similar route, via Kirkby and Skelmersdale. The termini of the three services will be Canning Place, Liverpool. The actual fares for these new routes have not yet been worked out, but as the charges average about lid. per passenger per mile 'for the remainder of the services it is not likely that there will be much deviation from this rate. At the outset, the services from Liverpool may pes.sibly be maintained at intervals of one or two hours, but, of course, after an experimental period, during which the volume of traffic will be ascertained, the jonaneys will be as frequent as the exigencies of traffic demand.
Amongst the conditions which have been imposed upon the Ribble Company is one intended to protect the Liverpool Corporation . Tramways, by the regulation of fares and picking-up points. The latter have not yet been ,decided upon, but when they are, they will be incorporated in the company's official time-table.
At the present time the Ribble buses serve over 100 different districts, and on all routes return tickets arc issued at advantageous fares. These are charged at one-and-a-half times the single fare, and they are available only on the day oUissue. In some districts, such as (1) Colne, (2) Burnley. (3) Ramsbottom, passengers can only be picked Up when they hold return tickets, owing to the refusal of the local authorities to issue licences to the company.
Facilities' are also provided by the Ribble Company for the conveyance of parcels, accompanied or unaccompanied. For unaccompanied parcels of 7 lb. or under the charge is for distances not exceeding five miles and 5d. for distances exceeding five miles ; over 7 lb. and up to 28 lb., 5d. and 7d. respectively ; above 28 lb. and up to 56 lb., 7d :and 10d. respectively. This scale does not include delivery to consignees' premises, the charges for delivery within half-mile of the agents' office in certain localities being 3d: to 6c1. each.