Operating Aspects of
Page 43
Page 44
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
PASSENGER TRANSPORT
BOLTON GIVES GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY
THE chairman of Bolton Corporation Transport Department, Alderman Bradley, stated on August 11 that, since the change-over from trains to buses, complaints from the public -concerning anomalies in the length of "stages and frequency of services had increased, although, actually, there was less waiting than hitherto for vehicles.
He contended that the public was getting good value. Indeed, managers of other undertakings did not understand how Bolton could give the dis tances it did. • The public must not expect any general reduction of fares, although he hoped to remove some anomalies. Many authorities were either increas ing fares or shortening stages. This was not surprising, considering how operating costs had increased. In the past two years costs in Bolton had increased by £18,000 a year, and last April the department contributed £20,000 to the rates.
The reason for workmen's fares was largely disappearing. There might have been a case when people started work at 6.30.a.m. Now the artisan, who got cheap fares, might be earning more than the clerk who had to pay full fare because of the later start.
Workmen's fares were uneconomic, involving as they did a large fleet of vehicles for peak hours morning and evening. These vehicles stood idle in the garages for most of the day.
GREAT YARMOUTH'S BANK HOLIDAY RECORD.
THE heaviest Bank Holiday traffic since the inauguration of a complete bas service is reported by Great Yarmouth Corporation transport undertaking. No fewer than 84,000 passengers were carried.
COUNCIL'S DRASTIC ACTION CURBED.
APROPOSITION that the council should oppose the liccitice of a bus company, because of its inability to provide adequate service for excursion traffic at holiday times, was defeated at the monthly meeting of Ripley (Derby) Council, last week.
Mr. A. E. Weekley said that the Midland General Omnibus Co., Ltd., had advertised excursion buses to the Peak on Bank Holiday, and between 110 and 40 people had to wait in Ripley Market Place because the buses were full. He added that the council had had to make the same complaint at Whitsuntide, and he moved that the council should write • to the Traffic Commissioners, opposing the licence.
The clerk, Mr. G. Whitcombe, said that the company gave an undertaking that there would be an improvement. Mr. Weekley added that 12 of the number eventually got away, but the remainder had to travel via Crich.
A member said that the proposition was rather drastic, and his suggestion, that the company be given another chance was approved.
" MIDLAND " GARAGE EXTENSIONS AT ALFRETON.
THE Midland General Omnibes Co., Ltd., the head offices of which are at Langley Mill, Derbyshire, is carrying out extensive additions to its bus garage at Alfreton, Derbyshire. When completed it will have a floor space of 8.000 sq. ft. and provide accommodation for 20 buses.
Incorporated in the layout are two sunken service pits, unit-heating by low-pressure steam, two island petrol pumps, lighting designed to reflect beams of light between lines of parked buses, and a reinforced floor with a Granolithic finish. Entrance is facilitated through Gibbs Lucas folding doors.
P.S.V. DRIVERS AS EXAMPLE TO OTHERS.
" DRIVERS of public-service vehicles, and particUlarly corporation bus and tram drivers, •ought to show an example to other road users," said Bailie Sawers at Edinburgh Burgh Court, last week, when he imposed a fine of 10s. on a tram driver who admitted disobeying traffic signals at Roseburg,.
£2,000 CLAIM AGAINST A CORPORATION
t-i. A PASSENGER on a Dundee Cor
poration bus has brought an action against that body for £2,000 on the ground that a bus service in the city was inadequate, and which brought about undue jostling and crushing when vehicles were being boarded.
The claimant alleges that he was driven forward by a number of passengers and that he overbalanced, which caused him to put out his left hand to steady himself. His hand was driven through a pane of glass and severely injured.
It is denied by the corporation that the injury was caused as the result of fault or negligence on its part or its servants, and contended that the claim.
ant ignored the intimation of the conductor as to the accommodation available. The action is fixed for October 9.
RIPLEY REGISTERS PROTEST TO NOTTINGHAM.
AT the monthly meeting of Ripley (Derby) Council, held last week, it was decided to press forward, in six months' time, its objection to Nottingham Corporation's application for two years' further extension of time for the construction of a through trolleybus route into Nottingham.
Before coining to this decision the council considered observations by Nottingham Corporation to the council's objections, and a letter was read from the Minister of Transport stating that, after consideration, he had allowed a•period of only six months.
COLCHESTER PROVES ECONOMY OF OILERS
PARTICULARS of the average consumption of oil fuel, mileage and cost of oil fuel of the five oil-engined buses recently acquired by Colchester Corporation show that, in 17 weeks, a saving has been effected in fuel costs of £380 17s. 9d., an average of £4 9s, 7d. per bus per week.
LEICESTER APPOINTS NEW , TRANSPORT MANAGER.
(IN Tuesday last, Leicester Transport 1...../Committee recommended the appointment of Mr. C. H. Stafford as general manager of the transport department in succession to Mr. Ben England, who has taken up an appointrnent with Nottingham Corporation.
Mr. Stafford, who comes from Birmingham, has been manager of the Burnley-Colne-Nelson joint transport undertaking since 1933.
MERGER MEETING ARRANGED IN BLACKBURN.
A MEETING of representatives of CA.Accrington, Blackburn and Damen Corporations, the authorities concerned in a proposed bus transport merger, has been arranged at Blackburn.
Plymouth Transport Committee is to obtain tenders for the construction of a bus depot at Milehouse.
Rawten stall Corporation has approved plans, by the borough engineer, for the construction of a bus station in Bury Road.