BIRCH CLAIMS OVER £360,000 FROM L.P.T.B.
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THE London Passenger Transport Arbitration Tribunal commenced to hear, last week, the claim of Birch Bros., Ltd., for compensation for the transfer of its bus undertaking to London Transport. The claim was on the basis of maintainable profits, with the addition of profit estimated to be obtained from certain routes that had not been fully developed, due regard being paid to the unusually. small, profits of 1931 and 1932, occasioned 11V trade depression.
The average annual profits Of 193133 were agreed at £17,711, this figure being raised to £26,914 by estimated additional profits and adjustments of the low figures of 1931-32. The Birch concern claimed £358,853 in cash, plus £8,250 for the severance of the bus business from the coach, taxicab and bodybuilding undertakitigs,' and a sum in respect of the loss of • potential revenue from reserved mileage.
TROLLEYBUSES FOR MANCHESTER?
IT is reported that Manchester City Council will.be recommended, at its next meeting, to apply for power to run trolleybuses, instead of motorbuses, when the replacement of tramways becomes due. There' appears to be quite a strong following for the trolleybus in the city.
REDUCING CLERICAL WORK FOR CONDUCTORS.
A NEW ticket system, known as the which effects a considerable saving in work for the conductor, has just been introduced by the Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., in the Norwich area, after successful experiments in Cromer and Wisbech. The new scheme reduces from 30 to four the different classes of ticket required to' be carried by the conductor,
who is relieved of much clerical work.
The ticket indicates the fare paid, the class (single or return), the date of issue and the direction of the journey, and provides for •journeys costing Id. to 3s,
BUSY DAYS AT ROE WORKS.
WIE are informed that, during the IT whole of last year, Charles H. Roe, Ltd., Leeds, the well-known bodybuilding concern, maintained its output at practically 100 per cent., and that
the prospects of the continuance of this state of affairs are most promising.
At present, orders are passing through the works from Oldham Corporation for 41 double-deck bodies and single-deck bodies, from Doncaster Corporation for eight double-deckers, from the • Yorkshi re (W.D.) Electric Tramways, Ltd., the Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., and Hebble Motor Services, Ltd., for 23 single-deck bodies, to the design of the British Electrical Federation, and from Leeds Corporation for SO double-deckers. The company has created a new low record for the cost of servicing bodies atter delivery.
HIGH COURT SUPPORTS OPERATOR
ON April 11 a . King's Bench Divisional Court, composed of Lord Hewart and Justices Avory and Humphreys, dismissed an appeal by Mr. E. W. Phillips, clerk to the South. Eastern Traffic Commissioners, against a decision of the Mark Cross tSussex) justices, in favour of Autocar Services, Ltd., Tunbridge Wells.
It was stated that Autocar Services, Ltd., hired a 29-seater coach to an officer of the Wadhurst Football Club to carry a party to see a football match, It transpired that the persons who travelled paid separate fares', and the coach company was charged with permitting the vehicle to be used as an express carriage without a road-service licence. The justices, however, refused to find the allegation proved.
Mr. George Banks (for the appeldant) said that apparently the Autocar company sheltered behind a condition in the contract of hire which stipulated that the persons hiring the vehicle should not use it, or permit it to be used; as a stage or express carriage, or in any way in contravention of the Act. But, he submitted, a coach owner could not impose that condition and then sit still without troubling to inquire for what purpose the vehicle would be used, or without seeking any information to satisfy himself that no contravention of the Act was possible.
The appeal was dismissed with costs. Lord Hewart said the complexity of the Act required that such cases should be carefully dealt with. Although he could not say that there were no circumstances of suspicion in this case, he did not think it was possible to bold that the justices should have held that the offence alleged had been proved. '
COUNCILS COMBINE IN FARES PROTEST.
AS the result of a meeting of local authorities in Co. Durham, a committee of 11 members is to prepare a report upon restrictions on bus return tickets and the question of fares generally, for submission to the Northern Traffic Commissioners,