Strong Opposition to Route Change at Newcastle
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PROPOSALS by Newcastle Cori poration Transport Department to extend and re-route a service from the city centre to Ponteland, Northumberland, so as to operate through Darrass Hall Estate, met with strong objections last week when the Northern Traffic Commissioners, at a crowded sitting at Ponteland, decided that before making any decision they wished to inspect the route.
Mr. C. R. Ward, for the Corporation, said that the application was to make two small variations at either end of the route which it was anticipated would, whilst providing a service to a newly developing residential area, at the same time help to reduce high operating costs, and would help relieve the traffic congestion at peak times in the city.
Approaches had been made to the Corporation to provide a service into the area as long as two years ago, but the Corporation were only prepared to do this provided there was no addition to the losses already being incurred on the service.
The Corporation have taken up a very firm position in this matter," said Mr. Ward. They already suffered a loss of 3.21d. per mile run by every bus on the route which, on an annual mileage of over 480,000, was " quite considerable."
The losses on the present financial year were estimated at £6,471, but in the next year this was expected to increase to £8,201.
Mr. J. L. Little, the Corporation's traffic superintendent, said that a census showed that 300 more people travelled back from the city than travelled to the city, the inference being that people got lifts to work in the mornings.
B.E.T. Order A.E.C.s
ORDERS for nearly 70 A.E.C. Reliance single-deck bus and coach chassis were received last week from two B.E.T. companies. The largest contract involved 50 chassis ordered by Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., who already operate a fleet of nearly 300 A.E.C. passenger vehicles. The second company, Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd., ordered 16 Relianccs, of which nine will be put on the road as touring coaches. The remaining seven are for country bus services.
Devon General have also ordered seven A.E.C. Regent double-deck chassis for city services in Exeter.