Railways Oppose Cheap Service for Old-age Pensioners
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" IT seems absurd that a policy witness should come here to tell us about rail fares, but cannot say what they will be," Mr. J. Goss commented before the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, in Sheffield, on Monday. He appeared for Mr. C. G. Littlewood, a Sheffield coach operator, who applied for a licence to carry old-age pensioners and disabled persons from Sheffield to Torquay in May, September and October next year.
Mr. Littlewood, who holds a licence for an express service between the two points, was making a separate application for. that class of traffic, with a concessionary fare of £2 10s., and pickingup points at old people's clubs or other centres.
Mr. Littlewood said that if the licence were granted he would carry 1,060 people at the concessionary fare, against the railway fare of £4 Os. 6d.
Mr. J. L. Powell, secretary of Rotherham Travel Club, said that British Railways had refused cheap fares for old people.
Objecting, Mr. E. R. Williams, Sheffield district passenger superintendent of BR., said the policy of the British Transport Commission with regard to concession fares was to grant them according to numbers, not categories. The Commission did not feel disposed to treat old-age pensioners differently from other passengers.
Mr. Goss said that he could not, then, understand why they objected to anyone else granting the concession. Mr. Williams replied that they had not done so. He admitted that they could not compete so far as individuals were concerned.
In reply to a comment by Mr. Goss that they were objecting although they could do nothing themselves except carry in bulk, Mr. Williams said that the numbers involved were such that they might be economically carried by the railways.
Pointing out that the hotels were not going to take 400 to 500 persons from Sheffield each week, Mr. Goss asked what would be the railway fare for 30 persons. Mr. Williams replied: " cannot say."
Saying that his decision would be announced as soon as possible, the Authority, Maj. F. S. Eastwood, said that it should be understood that it would be on the basis that the pickingup points must be within a radius of five miles of Sheffield Post Office.
BRAINS TRUST FOR I.R.T.E.
ABRAINS trust will be held by the North-east of England group of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers at Whinney Hill Girls' School, Durham, at 7 p.m. next Tuesday.
The panel will be composed of Mr. G. D. Robinson, chief engineer, A.E.C., Ltd.; Mr. E. W. Coy, chief engine development officer, Rootes Group; Mr. D. H. Ballard, assistant chief engineer, Clayton Dewandre Co., Ltd.; Mr. C. C. Oalcharn, chief engineer, Manchester Transport Department; Mr. W. A. Milne, executive sales engineer (electrical), C.A.V., Ltd.; and Mr. H. Clements, development and sales engineer, British Belting and Asbestos Ltd.
The president, Mr. G. Mackenzie Junner, who was to have been question master, will be unable to attend.
ROAD TESTS BY STUDENTS
ANUMBER of Leeds motor traders has presented a Morris 12 h.p. utility to the city's College of Technology so that automobile engineering students may make practice road tests. About six students may travel in the vehicle at a time to observe results of tests made by a Tapley meter, thermocouples for recording brake-drum temperatures, and transmission thermometers.
The vehicle was formally presented to the College recently by Mr. F. Howarth, general manager of the Paragon Motor Co., Ltd.
NO BRIDGE: 100-MILE HAUL
BECAUSE of the lack of a Forth road bridge, a steam locomotive crane weighing nearly 25 tons had to be carried a round journey of 100 miles when it had to be delivered from Dunfermline to Granton. The cost was £85, whereas it would have been about £20 if a road route across the river could have been taken. Delay could also have been avoided. The journey took two days.