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Minibus Stage Service for Leeds?
Page 31
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DISCUSSING THE REAL NEEDS OF URBAN TRAVELLERS A DDRESSING the Yorkshire section I-A of the Institute of Transport at Leeds last week, Mr. D. Quarmby indicated that consideration was being given to the introduction of a high-frequency' minibus service in the central area of Leeds, Mr. Quarmby, of the industrial management division of Leeds University, said that in Washington. USA, such a minibus service had operated for 18 months, and while it might not he suitable for a city such as Leeds. certainly it was worth con sideci The need to know detailed reasons for the individual travel habits of commuters, and the need to know a great deal more than at present of what was actually going on in British cities, were two reasons stressed by Mr. Quarmby why it was not possible to say as yet what the urban transport problem of this country really was. Bat people talked— and politicians were particularly guilty of this as though they could assume exactl■.' what the problem was.
On the question of the urban transportation problem, Mr. Quarmby believed that operators of bus fleets did not know enough about the factors that illluenced people in their travel
decisions. Even when " attractive
transport was discussed, they simply did not know what peoples values were. The same person would probably value time much greater at 8.25 a.m. than at 8.25 p.m.
Changing bus fare structures to attract more traffic assumed that cost was an impOrtant factor to the person using public transport today. But this was not always necessarily so, went on Mr. Quarmbv.
He considered that cost was probably a small factor. if a fare decrease was designed to affect the ear over. He doubted whether puhlic transport prices were significant to motorists. for example. In a survey of two residential areas in north Leeds, only 10 per cent of those interviewed who used their own cars to get to work said they would use the bus (Ten if it were free.
Less than 20 per cent of car owners in Leeds and district parked all day, so that any measure to cut down long-term parking in the city would only hit that 20 per cent. Before May, 1965. said Mr. Quarmby. when parking restrictions were enforced in the central area of Leeds. questionnaires had already gone out to a " sample " of motorists on their travel habits. Second' forms were sent out aftet the restrictions came into force and these indicated that only about 2 per cent of the -sample " stopped using their cars, whilst 98 per cent .continued to use them. although finding it more difficult to park tor the whole day.
The " boffins" were hoping to design a particular type of travel system that would effect such changes in relative travel time that it would cause motorists to chum= from the car to the public transport system.
IN BRIEF
Albion Viking Bus Order Finalized : The repeal order from the Scottish Bus Grour. for Albion Viking VIC43L bus chassis. referred to in The Commercial Motor of September 17, has now been finalized at 5C vehicles worth il00.000. Bodies by Walter Alexander and Co. (Coachhuilders) Ltd. wilt he hued. '.
Bootle Rail Plans: Bootle Council is urgine a circle-line railway system, integrated with neighbouring Liverpool's transport system. using some disused lines. This witl ease pressure on road transport when a .£26m. shop, office and factory development is completed in the 'town by 1971. Road needs of the area are receiving special attention in view of the proposed new thick at Crosby. which will adjoin the dock system at Bootle.