Commissioners Want Mileage Scales
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Scottish Decision Causes Uncertainty in Northern Area : More Applications Granted
THE advantages of fares based on a mileage scale, to spread increases evenly over the travelling public, were stressed by Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, chairman of the Northern Traffic Commissioners, last week. Making a few increases here and there meant that the burden was not being shared, he told the Western S.M.T., Co., Ltd., and Scottish Omnibuses, Ltd.
"We are glad to see that the fare structures of these two companies are under active consideration," he added. "We hope the result will be to get the fares on some sort of mileage basis."
The companies were applying to have increases granted by the Scottish Commissioners accepted in the Northern Area. Mr. R. M. Palmer. for Western S.M.T., explained that the Scottish grant had exempted fares between 7d. and 9d. from increase, together with limitedjourney tickets of 4d. to 50.
Asked by Mr. Hanlon whether this meant that mileage was not being taken into consideration, Mr. Palmer replied that their initial mileage scale was being maintained as far as was practicable, despite the various applications.
Mr. Hanlon: "Fares of 7d. to 9d. were not increased last time and not this time. That does not seem very equitable by any standard. Why?"
Mr. Palmer: "I cannot say. It was the decision of the Commissioners."
Fare Scales being Discussed Discussing the possibility of getting back to the strict mileage scale, Mr. Hanlon said he supposed that calculating the distances would prove a major task for the companies. Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., had been tacklirig it and had found it extremely difficult. Mr. Palmer replied that the whole question of fare scales was at present being discussed.
Granting the application, the chairman mentioned the Scottish Commissioners' decision on fares between 7d. arid 9d. The effect of these exemptions, he declared, was to relieve those passengers of any increase. The Northern Commissioners were anxious to spread any revision, but they did not know whether the 7d.-9d. group was being excluded because those fares were already excessive in relation to mileage.
At Carlisle, Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., were successful when they appeared with Barrow-in-Furness Corporation seeking higher fares on the jointly operated Barrow—Ulverston route. This service was not included in Ribble's recent overall application because the corporation had not agreed to apply.
Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, chairman of the Northern Traffic Commissioners, observed that the Barrow undertaking was suffering from the same troubles as Ribble and other operators—increased wages and costs. Formal applications by 10 operators serving joint routes with Ribble were also granted.
B16 Chesterfield Corporation were granted increases which should produce an extra £27,000 a year, but the deputy town clerk, Mr. R. A. Kennedy, warned the Yorkshire Commissioners that if there were any further wage awards, or if additional revenue fell short of expectations, they would have to make another application.
Commented the chairman, Maj. F. S. Eastwood: "The application is a reasonable one, and, indeed, I fear it may be too small."
He said Chesterfield's 9.9 per cent. passenger loss since the strike was the highest the Commissioners had encountered.
The increases will be based on a new mileage scale, which provides for a 21d. fare for 0.8 mile; 3d. up to 1.2 miles; 3-1d. up to 1.5 miles; and 6d. up to three miles.
Maidstone Congratulated The South. Eastern Commissioners told Maidstone Corporation that keeping fares to a minimum, even if it meant frequent applications for increases caused by changing circumstances, was a policy to be applauded. They congratulated the corporation on the way they had spread the burden of proposed increases, designed to yield £11,133 in a full year.
"We applaud also the corporation's policy of accumulating funds with which to cater for replacement of vehicles, and their abandonment, as far as they possibly can, of the loan system of raising money," added the chairman, yr. H. Thom.
Making the application, Mr. Walter Kershaw, general manager. said they wanted increases on 255 fare stages, which represented 49 per cent, of the total. The main result would be an extra 4cl. on fares under 6d., and Id. on a few higher fares, to come into operation on November 4.
When the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., successfully applied to the Yorkshire Commissioners for increases and revisions, Mr. W. R. Hargrave, for the company, said they hoped to cover increased costs of £46,520. It was intended to introduce a mileage scale for fares up to 3id., on a similar basis to those of 44. and over.
This meant that 865 24. fares would be raised by id., with increases of not
more than id. on 266 at 21d., 671 at 3d., and 363 at 30. A total of 446 fares in the four groups would remain unaltered, whilst 77 would be reduced.
Defending the company's accumulated reserves, which had been criticized by Mr. H. Halstead, clerk to Otley Urban District Council, Mr. Hargrave claimed they were not unreasonable. Without them it would not have been possible to bear the increased costs since August.
This was supported by the chairman, Maj. Eastwood, who told Mr. Halstead that West Yorkshire's profit on operating capital was the lowest in the area, Huddersfield Succeeds Huddersfield Corporation and the British Transport Commission were also granted increases. After examining the figures submitted by Mr. T. R. Nevin, Maj. Eastwood remarked that it did not seem that their request was big enough and they 'would probably face another deficit.
Mr. Nevin said they wanted to add id. to existing 2d. and 3d. fares, which should yield £19,032. The joint undertaking would still be faced with a deficit of £15,000 in the current financial year, even if revenue totalled f440,628, as estimated, which was rather optimistic.
Since the war there had been only four increases, the last one in May, 1956, but wage costs had now gone up another £20,110. The increases would not swell the company's coffers, but would go into the workers' pockets.
Applying at Luton on Monday for increases and shorter stages, the United Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., claimed that last month they lost 750,000 passengers, compared with September, 1956. Mr. W. R. Hargrave, for the company, said if present trends continued they would lose 9m. passengers in the next 12 months.
" We have found that during the past 10 or 12 weeks, members of the public have found alternative transport, most of them using their own vehicles," he said. Cars and cycles were the company's major competitors.
United Counties' application, and a similar one by Luton Corporation where joint operation was concerned, were both granted.
Belfast Thinks Again
Belfast Transport Committee will put a plan for fare increases before the city council tonight (Friday). The committee have rejected two earlier schemes, and the new one is in the nature of a compromise.
The 3d. minimum stage would be shortened from If miles to a mile, and all other ordinary fares would go up by fd. Old age pensioners' Id. fares would be retained, but the d. increase would affect children's fares. At present, the undertaking is -losing £3,000 a week, although it is obliged to pay its own way.