THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
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MINISTER RULES AGAINST "LIMITED" DUPLICATION.
ANappeal by the London and North Eastern Railway Co.. seeking further limitation of duplication on an express service from Newcastle-onTyne to Lowestoft, run jointly by the Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., and United Automobile Services, Ltd., has failed.
With regard to the question whether there should be any duplication, the Minister of Transport agrees with Sir Henry Wynne, who heard the appeal, that, in view of the history and character of the road and rail services concerned, the action of the Eastern Traffic Commissioners in allowing duplication to the extent permitted in the previous year should he upheld.
As to sectional duplication, the Minister notes that, during the summer of 1933, there was sectional duplication outside the Eastern Area, but so far as that area is concerned—to which the present appeal is confined—the Minister makes no Order. This ruling does not prejudice any decision of the Eastern Midland Traffic Commissioners concerning duplication, or the decision of any other body of Commissioners.
The Eastern Commissioners considered that the Minister's well-known ruling on the duplication of services from London to Liverpool and Glasgow did not apply in the case of Newcastle and Lowestoft. The L.N.E.R. is to pay costs. COMPANY AND CORPORATION TO CO-OPERATE.
ROTHERHAM Corporation's transport manager has been in communication with East Midland Motor Services, Ltd., concerning the difficulties of operating the joint service to Dinnington, particularly in view of the company's service from Rotherham to Worksop. The transport committee has approved a recommendation that the corporation should run through to Worksop, each party operating 50 per cent, of the total mileage of the service.
Application for consent and a licence is, therefore, being made.
J00 Q-TYPE BUSES FOR LONDON.
AFTER testing, for some time, a small number of A.E.C. Q-type buses, London Transport has ordered 100 Q-type single-deckers with sidemounted A.E.C.-Ricardo oil engines.
OPPOSITION TO ROAD-RAIL SEASON TICKETS.
QPPOSITION was offered before the Is../South Wales Commissioners, at Neath, when the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd., applied for sanction to introduce combined road and rail session tickets between Neath and Aberdare and Neath and Merthyr. Red and White Services, Ltd., and Imperial Motors, Ltd., objected to the company's proposal.
It was said to be an attempt to coordinate road and rail services to the public benefit. Evidence was given that the W.W.O.C. had,. in 1929, ' started to run bus services in the Neath area previously operated by the Great Western Railway Co. From 1929 to 1932 the railway company issued interavailable tickets and payment for the use of the tickets was adjusted monthly between the companies. From 1929 to 1932, 503 tickets were issued on the routes concerned.
The applicant's witnesses agreed that the scheme was of financial benefit to the G.W.R. and the W.W.O.C. It was also true that they obtained an agreement for the interchange of tickets between the applicant and the two other companies operating the road route concerned, but this new scheme was not designed to enable the W.W.O.C. to break away from the agreements with other bus companies.
ANOTHER M.H.C.S.A. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER?
THE Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association is approaching the Minister of Transport with a view to his receiving a small deputation to put before him matters discussed at the recent conference at Blackpool, and by various organizations throughout the country.
The Association has nearly completed the work of collating the views of various associations on the administration of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and these, accompanied by specific examples, are to be placed before him. On many of the main points concerning administration, the industry is now unanimous.
PROMOTING TROLLEYBUS SALES. TILE Minister of Transport is prepared 1 favourably to consider altering the present procedure, so as to remove the difficulty in the sale of trollcybuses to new undertakings, on account of the delay in obtaining Parliamentary powers. A statement to this effect was made by Mr. Guy, chairman of Guy Motors, Ltd., at the contpany's recent annual general meeting. • • He also referred to the company's pioneer work in producing trolleybuses with regenerative control, and mentioned that several important operators owned large fleets of Guy trolieybuses. He said that, from the Ministry of Transportreturn of trolleybus undertakings, the average of three years' working expenditure per vehicle-mile of four large Guy users was 8.9d.
FISH WORKERS TRAVEL 600 MILES BY ROAD.
THE advance of road travel is instanced in the departure of Peterhead fish workers for the East Anglian season. A few years ago they all travelled by rail, but, last week„ James Sutherland, Ltd., carried four bus loads and on Monday a further nine buses left Peterhead on the 600-mile journey. Another vehicle is expected to go south to-day. The conveyance of luggage has also been undertaken by the company, and on Sunday morning six lorries, carrying some 300 trunks, departed. About 450 of the 500 workers are travelling by road.
CAR AS CONTRACT CARRIAGE.
THE Fishguard magistrates have now given their reserved decision in the unusual contract-carriage case, reported in The Ccrmtnercia Motor on September 28, in which Messrs. Grey's Garages, Tenby, were prosecuted by the South Wales Commissioners for the alleged use of a hackney carriage as au express carriage without a licence.
The defence was that a coach tour was cancelled by the firm owing to an insufficiency of passengers and that these people had later hired a car. There was no substitution of vehicle, nor was the intended tour made.
The case had been adjourned for legal argument.
The Magistrates now said that they did not consider that the outing was an advertised trip and it was not the tour which was to have been run.
For the Commissioners it was submitted that this did not absolve the firm from an offence. It was contended that for the car passengers the journey took the place of the contemplated trip. Alt were entire strangers.
The case was dismissed. The Magistrates said they were finding as facts that this vehicle was not used as a public service vehicle, but that it was a contract carriage.
FRESH WRITS AGAINST NEWCASTLE OPERATORS.
ALTHOUGH a settlement was stated to have been reached in the dispute, several mouths ago, there is likely to be more trouble in the conflict at Newcastle-on-Tyne between the city council and members of the Northern Road Transport Owners Association.
The council has issued writs against Orange Brothers, Ltd., County Motor Services, Messrs. R. Allen and Son, Messrs. Charlton and Sons, and Messrs. Longstaff, for the money paid into the suspense account since the dispute concerning the Haymarket bus station came to a head in August, 1933.
BRADFORD'S NEW BUS SCHEME.
THE conversion of two more tram routes to bus operation was recommended by Bradford Tramways Committee, on Monday. The committee ,proposes to run municipal buses on the Shelf route, and to enter into an agreement with Yorkshire (W.D.) Electric Tramways, Ltd., for a joint bus service between Bradford and Dewsbury.
PROTECTION APPEAL FAILS.
711-1E Minister of Transport has disI missed the appeal by Lanelly and District Electric Supply Co., Ltd., against the South Wales Commissioners' grant of licence to Messrs. Gimblett's Motors.
The basis of the appeal was that the company's right to protection for its trolleybus services in Lanelly was impaired by the issue of the licences and the conditions attached to them. TILLING SEEKS PUBLICATION OF " PRIVATE " DOCUMENTS.
QN October 11, the London Passenger Transport Arbitration Tribunal continued to hear the claim of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., against the Board for compensation for the transfer of its MetrOpolitan undertaking. Mr. Stuart Bevan, K.C., for the company, sought permission to resume cross-examination on letters and documents sent by Sir William McLintock to Lord Ashfield (Underground group) and Lord Aberconway (Metropolitan Railway) in the early stages of the negotiations between Those organizations and the Ministry of Transport. • Sir William maintained the letters were private and that the figures of suggested values were put forward merely as a basis for discussion. The Tilling concern attached great importance to these documents.
The London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., was said to have transferred, for " ethical" reasons, a considerable proportion of its large profits to other units of the common-fund group. It was submitted that, if the Tilling concern had taken similar action, the average profits to be considered in the settlement would have been £66,305 instead of £153,000.
When the Court resumed on Monday last, Mr. Bevan asked permission to submit further documents, which were said to show the progress of the early negotiations concerning the Underground undertakings, whereas the existence of such statements had previously been denied. Mr. ,Craig Henderson, K.C., for the Board, argued that documents not already before the Tribunal were irrelevant and that the settlements reached with the Underground group bore no relation to the suggestions put forward in the early stages. Mr. Frank Pick also gave evidence.
MOVE TO REDUCE LOSSES.
MEGOTIATIONS between Bootle and I "11 Liverpool Corporations have resulted in a decision to co-ordinate the Liverpool-Bootle bus services in order to reduce losses and promote efficiency. "EAST KENT" TO RUN BUSES FOR DOVER CORPORATION?
FOR some time, Dover Corporation has been discussing the future of the municipal tramway undertaking, and at a special meeting of the town council, last week, details of negotiations with the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., were revealed.
It was stated that, on October 3, municipal representatives discussed with the company proposals as to the terms on which the latter would provide a bus system in the borough as from April 1, 1936, in place of the tramways. The company promised to consider further the amount of the capital sum to be paid to the corporation for the reinstatement of the roads and compensation to displaced employees (original suggestion £6,000), the percentage on a proportion of the company's capital expenditure to be charged against revenue (6 per cent. proposed), the proportion of profit to be taken by the corporation (20 per cent, suggested), and the question of paying the municipality a fixed annual sum, instead of a proportion of the profits. • A resolution thet, assuming another method of transport was available by March 31, 1936, the tramways should be abandoned, was carried. It was decided to defer the debate until a further letter was received from the East Kent concern.• Mr. Alfred Baker, Birmingham Corporation 'transport manager, is to be asked to advise on transport, and a Bill is to be promoted. During the discussion it was suggested that 20 buses would be required if the corporation were to run its own services.
, PROTECTION AGREEMENT: CASE NOT MADE OUT.
11E, Minister is far from satisfied 1 that the corporation has made out a case for the deletion of the fares concerned," states the official intimation of the Minister's decision on the appeal of Southampton Corporation against the action of the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners in allowing Hants and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd., to charge fares of less than 4d. single and Sd. return on certain services. This appeal, the hearing of which was reported in The Commercial Motor on August 10, raised the question of a protection agreement between municipality and the company.
As new evidence concerning the finances of the municipal bus undertaking, which was submitted at the inquiry, was prepared "very hurriedly," and as the Commissioners are to investigate all cases in which the company has entered into protection agreements. the Minister orders the rehearing of the relevant part of the application.
AN "OVERSIGHT" DOUBTED.
WEN the Lincolnshire Road Car Co., Ltd„ applied to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners for• permission to issue workmen's return tickets on a service from Retford to Gains borough, it was admitted that this practice had been followed since 1928 and was continued after 1930 by reason of an oversight. Mr. J. H. Stirk, chairman of the Commissioners, was unable to accept this explanation.
It was also alleged by the Sheffield Joint Committee that the company had taken over the service of another operator on a certain route and was continuing the practice of issuing workmen's return tickets, which had previously been pursued.
Mr. Stirk was not satisfied that a breach of the condition could be perpetrated for so many years without the knowledge of headquarters staff. He required the superintendent and driver on the Retford-Gainsborough service to be brought before him.
L.N.E.R. 'AGREES TO LIMIT EXCURSIONS.
AN official of the London and North Easlern Railway Co. gave an undertaking to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners, last Friday, that the corn pony would not run cheap evening excursions on mOre than one day a week. Messrs. Enterprise and Silver Dawn Motors, Scunthorpe, sought a licence to run evening excursions from Brigg to Cleethorpes, at a fare of is. 6d., twice a week, and it was said the railway company operated similar excursions at Is.
It was explained that the L.N.E.R. regarded these evening excursions as purely experimental, and it would continue to adjust the operation of them. Mr. J. H. Stilt, chairman of the Commissioners, remarked : "We are up against the old trouble—there is control on the roads, but not on the rail."
CONSENT FOR YORK.
VORK Corporation has been granted consent by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners for bus operation in the rural 'districts of Flaxton, Great Ouseburn and Bishopsthorpe. LIMITING PICKING UP ON EXTENDED TOURS.
AN important appeal concerning extended tours has been decided by the Minister of Transport. Yelloway Motor Services, Ltd., Rochdale, appealed against the condition imposed by the North Western Traffic Corti.missioners to the effect that, on extended tours, passengers may be picked up and set down at points indicated in the licence only where these are on
the line of route.
Mr. Oxley, who heard the appeal, stated that, in his opinion, the appellant made out a prima facie case for being allowed to continue as previously. As, however, there was no opposition at the inquiry, he had not the advantage of hearing the crossexamination on the new evidence admitted. Had the appeal been lodged earlier in the season, he would have recommended the Commissioners to rehear the application, but, as the season had closed, it would be better to leave the question for full consideration on the next application.!
The Minister has dismissed the appeal, but this action does not prejudice free consideration of the case by the Commissioners.
A SPECIAL EIGHT-WEEKS' TOUR.
ADENNIS coach, operated by the Aldershot and District Traction Co., Ltd., has completed an eight-weeks' tour, involving a total mileage of 3,760, carrying the band of the King's Own Scottish Borderers. The vehicle travelled from Aldershot to West 1-fartlepool to pick up the band and, during the tour, 45 towns were visited. The trip finished at Newcastle, and the vehicle returned to Aldershot, hal.ing completed its tour without any kind of mishap.
This is the third tour to be made by the band of the King's Own Scottish Borderers in a Dennis coach operated by the Aldershot concern. COMMISSIONERS AGAINST HIGHER FARES.
STRONG views on a proposal to .increase fares were expressed, a few days ago, by Mr. J. H. Stirk, chairman of the East Midland Traffic Commissioners. Nottingham Corporation proposed to increase from 3d. to 4d. the fare on one route, in order to carry out an agreement with the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd.
Mr. Stirk remarked that the Commissioners did not like increased charges on municipal routes. He suggested that the corporation took the view that the co-ordination of faretables meant the increasing of fares to the Trent concern's level, arid not the reduction of the latter's fares. The municipal . representative suggested a conference of the two parties, and Mr. Stirk made it clear that the Commissioners would not allow the fare to be increased. The application will be reconsidered on Tuesday next.
TWO LICENCES REVOKED.
LICENCES held by Mr. G. Matthews, Laof Shouldham, in respect of two services, have been revoked by the Eastern Traffic 'Commissioners on account of irregularities. Mr. Matthews admitted
that, with one vehicle, he was unable to run the services for which he was licensed. The Commissioners would, they intimated, announce later their decision as to the allocation of the two servites.
BLACKPOOL FAVOURS PROMENADE SERVICES.
LOCAL operators were reassured of Blackpool Corporation's amicable attitude, at a sitting of the NorthWestern Traffic Commissioners, at Blackpool, last Friday. When the question of the operation of coaches on the promenade was raised, it was stated that the corporation was anxious to welcome all forms of transport. The municipality hoped that the Commissioners would increase the present transport facilities on the promenade, instead of limiting them.
It was stated that the regulation preventing the setting down of passengers at cafes and restaurants had reacted harshly on all concerned. Mr. W. Chamberlain, chairman of the Commissioners, gave the opinion that this matter was covered by the Road Traffic Act, 1934, which would permit prebooked parties to be set down at such premises. AIRPORT SERVICE NOT FOR PROFIT.
DERMISSION has recently • been granted to Liverpool Corporation by the North Western Traffic Commissioners, for the operation of a special service to Speke Airport, on which the corporation is spending £160,000. It is proposed to charge the companies using the Airport at least ls, per passenger for the road service, the air. transport concerns collecting the fares. When seats are available, visitors to the Airport will also be able to travel on the bus. It was stated that the corporation did not wish to make a profit on this service.
Objections were lodged on behalf of Liverpool Motor Hirers Association and the Liverpool Taxicab Owners Association.
TWO STATION SCHEMES.
STALYBRIDGE Corporation has instructed the borough engineer to prepare a scheme for the provision of a bus station on the site of the Angel Inn and in Market Street. The transport committee of Barrow-in-Furness Corporation recommends the acceptance of the tender, at £18,874, of Rainey Bros., 1Ltd., for the erection of a bus depot.