Mr. Quin Reconsiders Half Fares
Page 75
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
CONFESSING himself to be severely shaken by the volume of protest which the decision to institute half fares for children from 5-15 years old had produced, the Scottish Licensing Authority, Mr. W. F. Quin, last week reconsidered his recent findings on the subject, Stating that the decision was intended as a concession to replace existing arrangements, the Authority revealed that objections to the decision had been lodged by Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen Corporations, the Scottish Motor Traction group, and 20 private companies, including two operators in northern England.
Losses of revenue would result from the adoption of a new range of half fares, it was stated, and confusion would be created if Scottish and English operators used different systems. On inter-working systems, too, confusion would be caused. Edinburgh Transport Department stated that the change would create a loss of £24,000, whilst Aberdeen municipal services would suffer to the extent of £10,000 a year. A decision on the objections will be announced shortly.
Further applications for higher fares were suggested by Glasgow Transport Committee, last week, when it announced that new rates of pay for craftsmen would increase the undertaking's expenditure by £30,000 a year. Higher costs of uniforms would also add £22,000 a year to the department's costs. Even if the increased fares recently applied for were granted, the undertaking would have a deficit of £400,000 at the end of the current financial year. An appeal has been made to the Licensing Authority for a speedy decision on the outstanding application.
Three Ayrshire concerns, A.A. Bus Services, Ltd., Ayr, and Al Bus Services, Ltd., and Clyde Coast Services, Ltd., both of Ardrossan, last week applied for a 16 per cent. increase in fares. Baxter's Bus Service, Ltd., Airdrie, applied at the same time for permission to abolish workmen's concession fares. Decisions were reserved.
New applications have been lodged in the past week by the following operators:—Aldershot and District Traction Co., Ltd.; City of Oxford Motor Services, Ltd., as a result of increases granted to Thames Valley Traction Co., Ltd.; Barton Transport, Ltd., following increases authorized to Nottingham Transport Department, which now has a further application before the East Midland Licensing Authority; United Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., involving
approximately 150 routes, including express services, on which en increase of 7 1/7th is requested; and Premier Travel, Ltd., which also seeks to raise coach fares to 25 per cent. above prewar charges.
Joint operations by Haslingden, Accrington, and Rawtenstall Corporations are affected by an application to increase fares. Trimdon Motor Services, Ltd., and Messrs. S. Blenkinsop, of Co. Durham, are also seeking higher fares.
Crosville Motor Services, Ltd., has now applied to the West Midland Authority for increased fares in the area on a scale similar to that proposed to the North-Western Authority.
The West Midland Authority is also considering the application of G. H. Austin and Sons, Ltd., Woodseaves, Stafford, to revise fares on 17 stagecarriage services. New fares will be fixed at lid. a mile with a minimum of lid. Return fares will be retained only on routes common with the Potteries Motor Traction Co., Ltd. Some fares would be reduced by these proposals, which will remove anomalies, whilst increasing overall revenue. Fares on journeys up to three or four miles' would be slightly affected.