M. OF T. AND A WELSH BUS CONTROVERSY.
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An Official Inquiry into a Bus Proprietor's Appeal Against the Refusal of the Swansea Watch Committee to Grant Licences to
ON behalf of the Ministry Transport Mr. H. Fisher, M.Inst.C.E.t recently conducted an inquiry at Swansea into the appeal of G. E. Taylor, bus proprietor, Llangennith (Gower), against the refusal oC the Swansea Watch Committee to grant him licences for a bus service between Swansea and Llaugennith.
For Mr. Taylor it was stated that he had been all his life in the bus business and for manyyears he had been engaged in providing services throughout
the Gower Peninsula. He was, in fact, in that area a pioneer proprietor. He had obtained the licence of the rural district council to ply on roads between Llangennith and Swansea, but was refused sanction to ply in the Swansea area. He contended that it was futile on the part of the Swansea Watch Committee to plead that there was congestion, or that existing services were adequate to the public need, and that the roads were unsuitable. In support of the application testimony was forth coming from members of the Gower Council as to the public demand for the establishment of the service.
Unusual support was given to the appeal by a member of the Gower Rural District Council, who described himself as "chairman-director and an unfortunate shareholder" in the Vanguard Motor Bus Co., the proprietors of the bus service which it is the intention of Mr. Taylor to oppose if his appeal be allowed.
Mr. Fisher: How do you reconcile the support of the application of an opposition concern with your position as director of the company at present maintaining a service on this route?
Witness: I think there is nothing like opposition to tighten up any slackness on the part of a service or of its employees.
Mr. Fisher: That seems to me Gilbertian. I think you ought to make your service efficient before supporting another concern's application.
• For the Swansea Council the adequacy of present services and the congestion on the borough boundaries caused by traffic were pleaded as justifying the council's refusal of licences. In addition, it was said to be impossible to assign stopping-places IA the town for additional buses.
The result of the inquiry will be made known in due course.
A Karrier Bus for North Wales.
The illustrations reproduced on this page show three-quarter front and rear views of an attractive Karrier saloon bus which Karr* Motors, Ltd., of Huddersfield, have recently supplied to the order of a North Wales bus company for regular service in the hilly ditriets of Carmarthenshire. The vehicle is known as the company's 14 type, the chassis having a 14-ft. wheelbase and the body being a 26-seater of the onemanecontrolled type. Spring seats are fitted in the interior, adequate ventilation for which is obtained by the use of drop windows at the sides.
The passenger entrance is at the front on the near side and an emergency door is incorporated at the rear, the handle for• the operation of which is neatly housed behind a glass panel, which can easily be broken in case of necessity.
A 12-volt electric lighting set is used, six lights being fitted in the interior.
A feature of interest is the luggage platform slung between the wings at each side, this being of useful dimensions. Further accommodation for luggage is also provided on the roof, which is fenced off with a meshed rail and can be reached by way of a ladder.
A spare wheel and tyre are carried under the frame at the off side, a rack being provided for the purpose.
A New Long-distance Bus Service in Wales.
A new lone-distance bus serVice has been recentfy established by the Rhondda TramwayS Co., in Ghunorg-an. At frequent intervals each day buses now ply for hire from Pontypridd to Llantrisant, on to Bridgend and thence to Porthcawl, serving all villages between the towns named. Return tickets at reduced rates are available, and it is hoped to introduce season tickets on the route at a later date.