NBC objects to 'too low fares'

18th September 1970, Page 124

18th September 1970

Page 124

Page 124, 18th September 1970 — NBC objects to 'too low fares'

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• An application to increase fares was granted to Bradford City Transport by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners in Leeds on Tuesday, despite objections from four NBC undertakings claiming that the proposed increases were not high enough.

Mr Peter Fingret, representing the objectors, the West Yorkshire Road Car Co, West Riding Automobile Co, Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Co and Hebble Motor Services, told the chairman of the commissioners, Maj Gen Sir John Potter, that they were losing revenue on certain services because they had been compelled to keep in line with the Bradford City Transport's fare scale by charging lower fares within the BCT's operating area. Therefore the fares should be either • increased still further or the application not granted as applied for. On a mileage basis some fares inside the BCT's area were nearly 50 per cent lower than those charged by the objectors outside the area. He added that the new fare scale would be of little financial significance to the objectors.

Mr G. S. Pollard, city treasurer of Bradford, said the application was the result of £670,000 increases in costs which had led to a deficit of £63.460 in this financial year and an estimated accumulated deficit of £786,254 by the financial year ending March 1972.

The increases were expected to yield about £801,000 up to the end of March 1971. The increases, Id on the minimum 3d fare, 2d on fares from 5d to Is 1.d and 3d on all the rest, would be the first granted to BCT since 1967.

When asked by the chairman why the BCT had not applied for a fares increase in three years, Mr Pollard explained that it had not been necessary to do so because revenue had been drawn from the vehicle renewal fund to subsidize the services.

Mr J. A. Talbot, traffic manager of West Yorkshire Road Car Co, speaking for the four objectors, claimed that if the BCT had not drawn revenue from the vehicle renewal fund it would have had to apply for several fares increases in the past three years similarly to other local bus companies. Had that been the case, the BCT's fare scale would have been much higher in the objectors' area, and so the objectors would not have lost revenue.

Mr E. Deakin, general manager of the BCT, stated that as staff wage increases were imminent it would be necessary for the BCT to apply for yet another fares increase in the immediate future. Before the Commissioners heard this application, he said, the BCT was prepared to negotiate with the objectors to see whether any satisfactory agreement could be reached.

On making his decision the chairman said that he felt that it was a unique case and hoped that some agreement would be reached before he heard the next application. He felt the increases were completely justifiable and provision made for decimalization early next year was also reasonable.