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SUNDERLAND SHOWDOWN WITH NORTHERN GENERAL?
Page 30
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THE first real hurdle in its ambitious attempt to introduce one-man buses in conjunction with a flat fare of 4d_ (or just over 3d. if pre-purchased tokens are employed) has been met by Sunderland Corporation. It is the opposition of the Northern General Transport Co. Ltd. and its subsidiary, the Sunderland District Omnibus Co. Ltd., who operate jointly with Sunderland Corporation Transport on five services. The two companies also run many out-of-town services overlapping SCT services, whilst A. L. and K. K. Jolly and the Economic Bus Services also run overlapping services.
What the private companies are objecting to in the main is the Corporation's proposal to introduce the flat fare, and the companies have intimated that they will not accept the scheme unless Sunderland Corporation removes the rates B26
subsidy for the buses—equivalent to a 3d. rate this year and 3-id. next year. In reply, a Corporation spokesman has said that if the private companies are in any financial difficulty with the services they run alongside, they should withdraw and leave the field open for the Corporation.
Joint Services
Most of the complaints stem from the joint services already mentioned, four of which are entirely within the town's boundaries, not to mention three other services operated entirely by the BET companies within the boundaries. The presence of the companies on these services is a constant bone of contention with Sunderland Corporation, who would dearly like to see the companies out of the way. Their share of the town's operations arnounts to only 8 per cent, and it would be a pity if the whole scheme fell through on account of this.
Sunderland Town Council has approved the purchase of 2,500,000 tokens for the new services at a cost of £5,531, to be supplied by Imperial Metal Industries Ltd. It is clear that the Corporation means to go ahead, and fight, if
necessary. F.K.M.
IN BRIEF
Beating Christmas Traffic Jams: Manchester Corporation transport department has ordered five walkie-talkie radio sets to help heat Christmas traffic jams. The sets will he used at trouble spots within two miles of the city centre, where telephone communication is impracticable. On instructions from a central control, buses will be diverted to by-pass hold-ups on sections where they have no scheduled stops and travel briefly by other scheduled roads to rejoin the clear route.