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Maidstone Fare Charges Challenged

1st June 1962, Page 51
1st June 1962
Page 51
Page 51, 1st June 1962 — Maidstone Fare Charges Challenged
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

COUNSEL for four Kent and Sussex towns who are appealing against higher fares on Maidstone and District Motor Services routes said at a Ministry of Transport Appeal in London last week that the company was trying to increase its profit as well as meet extra costs.

Fare increases in the form of reduced mileages were approved by the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners last November.

Appealing against this decision on behalf of the councils of Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester and Hastings, Mr. Leon McLaren said they considered the increases disproportionately high in the lower fare stages.

The profit foreseen for 1960 was 4.71 per cent. on capital employed, but the actual profit made was 7.43 per cent. and the profit now sought was 6.58 per cent.

Mr. H. R. Herbert, for the company, recalled that he had told the Traffic Commissioners that it was obvious if they did not get the money they wanted they must obtain margins by reducing expenditure, and the only way to do that was to cut services. They thought 6.58 per cent. on capital was a reasonable profit.

Mr. Herbert said the Commissioners had said in the past that fare scales, wherever possible, should be taken throughout the whole system in a fares increase. That had resulted, as had been pointed out, in a greater proportion of increase on short distances—theoretically if not actually.

They had done the same thing this time, but a lot of stages were not increased because, having been rounded to the nearest penny.above last time, they were still in the mileage brackets.

The Minister's decision will be announced after the inspector has made his report.

SCOTTISH FARES

SCOTTISH OMNIBUSES and their associated companies have applied to the Scottish Traffic Commissioners for fare increases to permit coverage of the .000,000 required to cover the new wage agreement. The applications will be heard in Glasgow, with the exception of the Highland Omnibuses, Ltd., application which will be heard in Inverness.

SMALL BUS APPLICATION

THE Northern Traffic Commissioners 1.last week refused an application by Mr. L. C. Woodland, of the Woodland Taxi and Minibus Hire Co., Consett, Co. Durham, to operate a service between Consctt and Butlin's holiday camp at Filey, using small buses.

HANGAR AS TRANSIT SHED DART of Thornaby aerodrome is I rapidly developing into an industrial estate and road transport contractors David Tarren. Ltd., have left their Tho rn a by road premises, Lan ehou se Garage, and moved to the airfield. The huge hangar, now the transit shed for the firm, will house their fleet of 50 vehicles—tippers, " fiats " and longdistance bulk tippers. Near the transit shed a workshop is being constructed.


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