More Fare Increases in the North
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A LTHOUGH Durham District Services, P.-I Ltd., would make a slight profit this year, an estimated loss of nearly £7,000 would be incurred by the company in 1959 unless fares on some routes were increased. The Northern Traffic Commissioners were told this at Newcastle, on Monday, when the company applied for fare increases of up to 5d. on return tickets.'
Mr. J. L. R. Croft, for the company, said that despite rising operational costs, fares had not been raised since July, 1956.. Expenses had been met by economizing and substantially reducing the fleet's annual mileage. Receipts had dropped. from £304,100 in 1956 to £302,500 this year.
Even if the application were granted, the net profit in 1959 would be under £4,000—an insignificant figure when compared with the capital outlay. Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, chairman, said the application was extremely modest in the circumstances and the increases would be allowed.
HIRED LORRY DRIVEN BY OWNER: FINES
AN owner-driver who hired his lorry to a contracting company and then drove it for them himself was fined a total of £2 15s. at Withersea,. Yorks, last week. • Cyril Saunderson, Arthur Street, Withersea, denied 11 charges of using a goods vehicle without a licence, but wz.,s fined 5s. on each one.
The prosecution stated that all would have been in order if the contractors had provided their own driver. They had a licence to use the vehicle for transporting milk churns.
Mr. W. Maycock, defending, claimed that no offence had been committed. If the prosecution's case were right, two licences were needed for one vehicle. The regulations were designed merely to ensure that vehicles carrying `goods should be licensed.
SWISS TARIFFS CUT FOR VEHICLES
THE Swiss Government are to apply lower tariffs upon imported British vehicles. The new scale is based upon vehicle weight, plus the weight of any packaging. The sums per 100 kg. (225 lb.) are as follows: up to 800 kg. (1,800 lb.), 110 Swiss francs (£9 3s. 4d.); 800-1,200 kg. (1,800-2,700 lb.), 130 Sw. fr. (110 16s. 8d.); 1,200-1,600 kg. (2,7003,600 lb.), 150 Sw. fr. (£12 10s.); over 1,600 kg., 170 Sw. fr. (£14 3s. 4d.). The last category is about the same as previous rates, but the others are lower.
These amounts apply to goods and passenger vehicles. The tariff for specialpurpose vehicles, such as ambulances, fire appliances and breakdown tenders, will be 130 Sw. fr. per 100 kg.
In return, Britain has cut import duty on certain Swiss products. These include exhaust-driven .turboblowers and gearcutting hobs.