Fare Freeze and Longer Rides to Beat TV
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I ONGER rides for the 2d. minimum fare are being instituted by L'-'1 Lincoln Transport Committee in an effort to win back passengers.. The committee have also given an undertaking that fares in the city will not be increased again for at least a year. These two moves follow a drop of 41,000 passengers a week in August, and a deficit of £17,250 at the end of the last financial year.
Television was blamed for the position when Mr. Herbert Jones, transport manager, put the company's case to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners.. He estimated that there would be an accumulated deficit of £44,000 by 1958., mainly due to former passengers staying at home more in the evenings.
The Commissioners granted the application for a longer 2d. minimum stage, and revisions to eliminate odd halfpennies from the fare table. The maximum fare is 6d. They were told by Clir. F. W. G. Todd, chairman of the transport committee, that a decision not to make a further application for at least a year had already been taken.
Strong Opposition
Despite opposition from 37 councils and five county councils, increases sought by the Scottish bus group were granted, and will come into operation on Monday. Present 2d. and 24d. single fares go up by id., and return fares of 1 s. Zd. and over are increased by Id. There are also 124 per cent, increases to limited-journey tickets for 10, 12 and 24 journeys, and to scholars' tickets. The revisions will bring in about £740,000 a year.
The group said the wage award, together with increased Saturday after: noon payments, would cost them about £804,000 in a full year. With other increased costs, the total expenditure for 1958 would be £927,000 higher than this year's figure.
Companies in the group include Scottish Omnibuses, Ltd., W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., Western S.M.T. Co., Ltd., Central S.M.T. Co., Ltd., and David Lawson, Ltd.
The Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., were granted permission by the Eastern Commissioners to raise all city or town fares up to 51d. by 4d. Over 6d., the increase will be Id., and proportionate increases will be made on other stage services, including concessionary fare revisions.
After a two-day joint sitting of the South-East and Metropolitan Commissioners, an application by Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., for higher fares was granted in full. The company asked for an extra id. on fares up to Sd.; id. on fares between 6d. and Is. 6d,; and Id. or 2d. on fares above Is. 6d. Some return fares would also be increased, and season-ticket rates would be higher.
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Mr. Eric Blain, for Maidstone Corporation, announced that the transport department had also applied for increases. For the company, Mr. H. R. Herbert said the last revisions were granted in February, 1956. Wage increases since then would cost another £160,000 a year, fuel an extra £36,000, and other items €8,C0 more. Higher fares already allowed on express services would bring in £19,000, and the present proposals £150.000.
A similar application by tha. Hastings Tramways Co. was also granted. Mr. Herbert said that at the end of the month the company would become part of Maidstone and District. The latter company intended to replace the present trolleybuses by motorbuses. It was hoped that the change-over would he completed in 12 months, at an approximate cost of £200,000.
After Mr. J. L. R. Croft had pointed out that in the past three months operating costs had increased by £32,550, Cumberland Motor Services, Ltd., Whitehaven, were granted fare revisions to bring in an extra £26,850 a year. The Northern Commissioners were told that fares were put on a mileage basis in June, with a limitation to certain increases.
It was proposed to remove these limitations to allow increases up to the scale already granted. To a suggestion by Mr. J. Waugh, for Ennerdale Rural District Council, that the company could make economies, Mr. Desmond G. Finley, company secretary,. said that the weekly vehicle mileage had already been increased from 580 tonearly 800.
Granting the application, Mr. J. N. T. Hanlon, chairman, said he sympathized. with people who had been moved from 'town centres to new housing estates in the suburbs, involving travel to work, but, even so, they did not have to pay as much as London people.
Increases granted to Barton Transport, Ltd., by the East Midland.Commissioners, will earn the company an additional 04,600 a year. Single fares• go up by 4d. and id., and on return fares there are increases of between td. on Is. 3d. tickets and 6d. on 5s. 6d. tickets. Scholars' and workmen's fares are also higher.
Old Folk Object Among the objectors were Leicester Old People's .Welfare Association, whose representative appealed for reduced fares for pensioners between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mr. R. Seely Whitby, for Barton's, replied that whilst the company sympathized with old people, the problem of concessions was a national one.
The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., who applied for increases at Birmingham on Monday, said that although costs had gone up by £629,000 since last December, cuts in mileage had reduced this figure to £488,000 a year.
They asked for Id. on single fares and scholars' returns between 2d. and 64c1.; Id. between 7d. and Is. 11-td.; and 2d. over 2s. Workers' and miners' returns between 84d. and Is. 5Id. would go up by 2d., whilst over. Is. 6d. the increase would be 3d. The new scale would produce an extra £499,946 a year. Twelve local authorities were the principal objectors,
Middlesbrough Plans Middlesbrough Transport Committee, faced with an estimated deficit of £44,000, have announced some of their proposals for increasing revenue. They plan to add Id. to workers' earlymorning returns, which will bring in £7,000, and to put Id. on existing 14d. and 2id. tickets, to acquire a further £30,000. Bringing scholars' fares into line with the 'children's scale would yield £1,000, whilst adjustments on the Seamer route would mean an extra £1,500.
Blackburn TranspOrt Committee are to apply for id increase on all fares, except the existing 2d. stage.
Belfast Transport Committee'are to consider a system of fare and stage revisions drawn up by a, special subcommittee. Mr. J. Mackie, general manager, has recommended a 3d. minimum fare only in the central area of the city. He wants an increase of Id. on all other fares, together with some alterations to stages. He is apposed to shortening all stages, however, because of possible passenger resistance.
Oldham Transport Committee are to apply for Id. increase on the present 24d. fares, with ld. on the 3d. minimum limited-stop journeys (covering two stages instead of one). They also want to end workmen's fares.