BRIEF ITEMS OF NEWS FROM THE TRAFFIC AREAS
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The Question of One-man Buses.
THE Plymouth Corporation transport manager has reported that, norwithstanding.the appeal to the Traffic Commissioners, they are unable, with the exception of one route, to give a certifi cate enabling 26-seater buses to be operated by one man. The manager mentions that the increased cost of providing conductors would be £5,500 per annum, and it has been decided to interview the Commissioners again.
Fighting for Booking Agents.
STIMULATED, no doubt, by the dan ger of booking agents' commissions being limited by licence conditions imposed by the Traffic Commissioners, those responsible for The Booking Agents' Gazette, which is the official organ of the Booking Agents Association of Great Britain, Ltd., have produced a creditable " fighting number" as their issue for September-October. The name of the monthly has been changed to The Coaching Journal.
Wolverhampton Opposes "Midland Red."
THE manager of the Wolverhampton transport undertaking, Mr. C. Owen Silvers, appeared before the West Midland Commissioners recently and opposed the application of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., in respect of certain groups of excursions and tours, some starting from Wolverhampton and Dudley. The chairman pointed out that the "Midland Red" concern was offering circular tours to the public which the corporation could not give; and Mr. Power, of the applicant company, said that the corporation had no powers to run the tours which his concern could
provide. Mr. Silvers contended that Mr. Power was quite wrong in this statement, and the chairman then intimated that the Commissioners were not prepared to go on with that discussion. A decision in the matter will be announced later on.
An Appeal Heard in Glasgow.
AN inquiry on behalf of the Ministry
of Transport was held at Glasgow a few days ago by Sir James Leishman, into the appeal by Messrs. A. and P. McConnachie, of Campbelltown, against the refusal of the Southern Scotland Commissioners to license a bus service between Campbelitown and Machrihanish. The main point of argument was whether the existence of two bus operators on the route constituted unnecessary and wasteful competition. The finding of the Commissioners was' it is understood, based on the ground that the Campbelltown and Ilachrihanish Light Railway Co. had developed a traffic and could provide adequate and co-ordinated rail-and-road service, so that two bus services were unnecessary.
The appellant's legal representative said that either a licence should be granted or a new hearing of the circumstances of the case should be held. The decision will be announced later.
A Paper on Road Services in the London Area.
AT the Institute of Marine Engineers,
Alinories, London, E.0.3, on October 9th, Mr. L. M. R. Nicholson read before The Omnibus Society a paper rtitled"Small Proprietors. in the Home Counties." He hardly referred to the effect the Loudon Passenger Transport Bill will have on the smaller operators if it becomes law, but dealt fully with the existing stage and express services, treating with the area in sections, and showed how useful those operated by the independent concerns are to the public in general.
Merging Municipal Interests.
THERE is a suggestion in hand for establishing central control of tho niunicipal-transport deets in south-east Lancashire, including those in the areas of Manchester, Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Stalybridge, Stockport, Ashton and Salford Corporations. Only the main outlines of the scheme have been considered. Application Not Vitiated by Company . Formation: THE adjourned application of Mr.
H. T. ROSS (Kings Service Coaches), of Clapham, has now been reconsidered by the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner. After considerable cross-examination had taken place the Commissioner stated that originally this Was an application by -Mr. Ross to operate on behalf of Kings Service Coaches. A totally different proposal was now made, for a new company was to be formed. The proposed new•company might have a proper right to the vehicles, but a person could not sell or assign a licence. He did. not think, however, that the fact of a man carry ing, on in his own name and then forming a company need prevent him from obtaining a licence. The Commissioner has previously had applications from people in financial difficulties, and has, in some cases, adjourned them for a company to be formed and the proceedings to be amended, so that the application might be made by the new company. He decided to take the same course in the present instance, and no final decision on the matter was, therefore, announced at the time.
In the season of 1930 Mr. Ross carried 4,136 passengers on trips to Southend, 12.678 to Brighton and Worthing, 8,262 to Portsmouth and Southsea, 12,663 to Margate and Ramsgate, 10,043 to Littlehampton and Bognor, 4,761 to Hastings and Bexhill and 3,225 to Eastbourne. In these figures returns are counted as two passenger journeys.
L.N.E.R. Late in Supplying Facilities.
OBJECTION by United Automobile Services, Ltd., and the London and North-Eastern Railway Co. to an application by Mr. W. Rutherford, of Craster, for a licence to run a service from Alnwick to Berwick, via Barnburgh and Belford, was recently overruled by the Northern Commissioners.
The railway company's objection was On the ground that the line had been laid at great expense between Belford and Berwick, that the rail service was adequate for the needs of the villagers on the route, and that buses should stop at Belford, the passengers transferring at that point to the railway.
When Mr. H. Riches, chairman of the Commissioners, asked whether it was suggested that there should be interavailability between the buses and the railway .company, the railway representative replied that that stage had not yet been reached, and it was a matter for consideration. Mr. Riches stated with emphasis that it was certainly a matter for consideration, and it is thought he implied that consideration might well have been given years ago.
The railway representative admitted that some of the connections might not be good, but said that these might
be adjusted. The chairman replied that the matter of adjustment ought to have been gone into before and that
-the Commissioners had to consider the number of passengers carried on this route last 'year, which was no fewer than 162,032. Mr. Rutherford's licence was granted with certain conditions.
Period-returns Question to be Considered Anew.
IN dealing, the other day, with an application by Mr. Alfred Clark (Eastern Belie Motor Coaches), of Bow, the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner granted excursion and tour licences and stated that that would not exclude period returns. Next year, however, this matter of period returns would be reconsidered altogether, and excursions and tours would be on an entirely different basis. He stated that figures would be available to assist him to decide exactly what was required.
Joint Operation by Corporations.
NEGOTIATIONS lasting over two years, as to the terms of the semiexpress bus service between Blackburn and Accrington, have had a satisfactory outcome. It is to be operated in the proportion of four buses by Blackburn Corporation and one by Accrington Corporation, and the receipts allocated as to Iths to Blackburn and Vb. to Accrington. Accrington has submitted an application to the Commissioners for the substitution of buses for trams between Accrington and Blackburn, but this is being opposed, It has been suggested that a joint transport board to watch the 'interests of Blackburn, Accrington and Damen, would be useful.