Workpeople's Fares an Anachronism
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BUS companies must be kept in a healthy financial state, said Mr. C. R. Hodgson, chairman of the East Midland Traffic Commissioners, when fare increases were granted at Nottingham last Friday to Barton Transport, Ltd., and the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd.
"It is a great source of wonder to me that the general public put up with increases in almost every other commodity-they grumble a bit, but pay up -but when anyone asks them to produce an additional penny or halfpenny on buses there is great excitement," he declared.
The companies proposed to increase single fares between 2d, and 51d. by id.; over 6d. by Id.: and fares over 6d. containing% odd halfpennies by 4d. or lid. Return fares up to Is. 3d. would go up by Id.; from Is. 4d. to 2s. 5d. by 2d.; from 2s. .6d. to 3s. 5d. by 3d.; from 3s. 6d. to 4s. 5d. by 4d., from 4s. 6d. to 5s. 5d. by 5d.; and from 5s. 6d. onwards by 6d.
For Barton's, Mr. R. Seely Whitby _pointed out that the wage award had cost them £29,493 and they had not had as much relief from the Budget as they had hoped. If granted, their application would result in 63 workmen's return fares being abolished and 303 workmen's returns going up.
"It is often expressed in these times that workmen's fares should come into line with all other fares," he said. Mr. Hodgson: "Workpeople's fares arc an anachronism. When I was sitting in South Wales I abolished the lot. It seems unfair that early morning workers should travel more cheaply than those on the afternoon shift."
There were several objections, including one from Bingham Rural Council, but Mr. Whitby pointed out that Barton's lost £60,000 a year by running buses through Bingham.
For Trent, Mr. W. R. Hargrave said the wage award would cost them £57,000 in a year, but through economies they had reduced this to £37,000. The application was designed to bring in £30,000 of this amount.
Since independent television started operations in the north-east, in January, takings on South Shields Corporation motorbuses and trolleybuses had dropped by 0,000 a month, the Northern Traffic Commissioners were told before they granted an application by the corporation to raise fares on 25 motorbus and 16 trolleybus services.
The basic 2d. fare will not be affected. but the schoolchildren's id. fare will be doubled. All other fares on each of the affected services, with the exception of one, will be increased by Id.
The increases were stated to be estimated to produce an extra £22,903 a year.