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[1\1 PASSENGER TRANSPORT
Page 79
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result it may be anticipated that the Nelson and CoMe tramways will, in due course, be superseded by buses. Mr. Charles H. Stafford (of Burnley) has been appointed general manager of the authority.
It will be appreciated that the phase of development indicated by these examples possesses considerable potentialities. It seems likely that, proceeding on such lines, municipal interest in bus services will be greatly expanded, although the number of authorities responsible for the actual operation of the services may diminish. Reverting to the Statistical tables, it may be noted that the mileage of routes operated by motorbuses has increased by 382 and the number of buses by 654. Approximately 132,000,090 more passengers have been carried, and over 20,800,000 more miles run,
Increase in Capital.
During the year over £446,000 additional capital has been expended, bringing the total capital expenditure to 19,630,600, and £1,000,000 more has been earned in traffics. The working costs are greater by approximately £735,000, and the net result is the reduction of the working costs per mile run from 10.52d. to 10.26d. accompanied by a reduction of 1.1;e traffic revenue per mile from 12.76d. to 12.61d.
Comparison of these excellent results may be made with the statistics of tramway and trolley-bus services.
The tramways show a reduction of two in the number of operating authorities, a reduction of 105 in the number of mute-miles covered, a drop of 351 in the number of cars working, a decrease of over 12.760,000 in the number of miles run, and a reduction of over 231,000,000 in the number of passengers carried.
Reduced Traffic Revenue.
From the financial point of view the result of all these minus quantities is a reduction of traffic revenue by £1,311,575, which is only partially offset by a decrease of working costs amounting to £845,063. Whilst the revenue per car-mile has fallen by .31d., the working costs have been reduced by only .08d. per car-mile.
During the period under review there were 144 municipal tramways (in the hands of 80 operating authorities), compared with 154 tramways systems (in the hands of 82 authorities) in the previous year. By the end of the year the figure of 80 operating authorities had been reduced to 73, the following authorities having ceased to work tramways during the year ;—Ayr, Barrow, Exeter, Lowestoft, Pontypridd, Rawtenstall and Stockton-onTees..
Further abandonments have subsequently been effected, and stilt more are projected. The last of Wallasey's tramcars will be superseded by buses on October 1 next.
An interesting arrangement has been made between the Dearne District Light Railways Joint Committee (representing the urban district councils of Wombwell, Wath, Bolton-on-Dearne and Thurnseoe) and the Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., which provides for the abandonment of the authorities' light railways and their substitution by bus services by the company. The agreement provides for the payment to the local authorities by the company of 13,000 a year for live years and £2,000 a year subsequently. The Bill to sanction the scheme is now before Parliament.
Trolley-vehicle operation makes slow but steady progress. Powers to operate have so far been granted to 64 local authorities. In seven cases the powers have lapsed; in nine instances systems have been discontinued after construction; in 27 eases the powers have not yet been
exercised, and 21 systems are now in operation. This is one fewer than shown in the table, Wigan. having ceased operation in September, 1931.
Analysing the results in the same way as for buses and trams we find that routes in operation increased during the year by 29 miles ; 85 more vehicles were in service; 2,138,200 more car-miles were run and 16,091,816 more passengers carried. The capital expenditure has in creased by over £298,000 and traffic revenue is nearly /96,000 to the good. The working costs have risen proportionately, and, in the result, the average traffic revenue and operating costs per mile run work out at 13.88d. and 10.51c1. respectively.
Trolley-bus Developments.
The several applications before Parliament in the present session to sanction new or extended systems promise well for the development of trolley-bus facilities in the near future, provided that general transport legislation imposes no Unbearable burdens. The publication of the Salter Report has been responsible for holding Up many orders for trolley-buses, but it is to be hoped that this uncertainty will soon be ended, and the gradual progress of the past two years allowed to continue unhindered.