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New Fares Applications Affect All Passengers : Miners Wait and See

18th August 1950, Page 32
18th August 1950
Page 32
Page 32, 18th August 1950 — New Fares Applications Affect All Passengers : Miners Wait and See
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

SOUTH WALES has been saved from the general strike threatened by 100,000 miners in the area in protest. against the increased fares charged by the Rhondda Transport Co., Ltd. At a delegate conference in Cardiff, last Friday, the miners accepted a recommendation to withdraw strike notices due to operate last Monday. The findings of the Ministry of Labour inquiry held in Cardiff on August 10, will be awaited before action is taken.

Only five pits in the Rhondda Valley are within the area where the increased fares are charged, and some 3,500 men are affected to varying degrees. At the most, the increased fares cost some men 6s. a week, whereas other men are paying only 2d, a week more.

A tradition of subsidized travel exists in South Wales, 'however, which the National Coal Board has had to take over from the previous mine owners. In the report of the Board for 1949, it was revealed that £500,000 is paid annually in subsidies for miners'. travel. Throughout the country 4 per cent. of miners generally derived benefit from these payments, whereas about 10 per cent. of Welsh miners received assistance.

Threat to Companies

According to the South Wales miners, it is essential to oppose the increases demanded in this instance, otherwiso other bus companies will make similar applications.

In his deferred decision on the application of the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., the Eastern Licensing Authority has refused to approve all the increases proposed in the lower range of fares up to 6d., but has authorized increases of id. up to 6d. Originally increases. of Id. were asked for. The increases suggested between 2s. '7d. and 6s. were varied Slightly, and in some cases the concern's proposed fares were raised by another id.

An advance of 25 per cent. proposed for weekly tickets was refused, the Authority granting an increase of 16i per cent. The decision, it was stated, did not apply to services co-ordinated with those of other undertakings, such as Luton Corporation and Premier Travel, Ltd., or wherever tickets were interavallable.

services for which backings were required were excluded from the decision.

For the third time since 1947, Dundee Corporation is to apply for revised fares. It is proposed to reduce stage lengths while retaining the same fares. Intermediate lid, fares would in many instances become 2d.

Sheffield's Proposals

Forty services are affected by a

Sheffield application. It is proposed that existing adult fares up to and including 4hd. be increased by id., except where existing fare stages arc shorter than average. Transfer tickets will bear an additional id. for each route included in the complete journey, and routes not coinciding with tram routes will be covered by a series of lid. stages of about 0.8 mile.

At Wigan, the corporation suggests that the Id. fare be increased to Ud. and the stage length reduced, whilst fares up to 21-d. will bear an additional hd. Workmen's tickets would be increased by Id. on returns and Ld. on singles.

Proposals affecting 32 services are concerned in a Blackburn application. All 2d., 3d. and one 31d. return fares -and three lid, single fares are to be withdrawn and all workmen's returns increased by Id.

Minimum fares of. lid. instead of Id, are proposed by Chester Corporation, together with hd. increases on other fares and a general increase in workmen's fares.

Ipswich Corporation and the Slatybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Joint Board are also considering applications for higher fares.

1o1 Fares Up?

Over 200 services are affected by an application by the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., I.td., which, after discussions with Bristol City Council, has revealed its plans to the Western Licensing Authority.

The, proposals provide for Id. increases on single fares and Id. increases on workmen's returns. New minimum fares of lid: single and 2d. workmen's return will be introduced. with stages shorter than those covered by the previous lid. single and workmen's return tickets.

Revisions of fares have been asked for by two County Durham operators serving colliery and other workers. These are Trimdon Motor Services, Ltd., and Venture Transport Co. (New

castle). Ltd., Consett. In the second concern's area, fares on 37 services are to be increased by amounts varying from id. (thus eliminating the Id. fare) to 4d.


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