Crumbs for Small Buyers ?
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A RE there not questions to be answered regarding the ''disposal of road haulage stock by the British Transport Commission? Many potential buyers are still guessing.
The smaller of these appear to have a vague idea that their bigger brethren may get away with the loaf, and leave few crumbs. There is still a suspicion of the operation of high finance, with the possibility of underthe-counter work that the authorities, with the best of intentions, will be unable to prevent.
All sorts of queries sprout from the main stern. For example, should not preference be shown to those who undertake to maintain the goodwill that is in operation? Should not this goodwill be established in their favour by agreement in advance with those from whose custom it has accrued? Should not hauliers returning to the industry have a prior right to the goodwill that passed out of their keeping when they were taken over by the B.T.C.?
On the other hand, one feels that the tangible value of goodwill need not be established by the B.T.C.,because it is generally understood that the commodity in which they are dealing, apart from vehicles, equipment and premises, is the five-year tenure of an A licence without restrictions.
Those who are in the habit of attending public inquiries will have been intrigued at the facility with which vehicles of the Road Haulage Executive move front group to group. Whilst this principle may be employed to cope with demand, it is also uncommonly useful as a method of relieving a noticeable redundancy. Presumably, no great importance can be attached to the goodwill enjoyed by the operation of s'uch vehicles, but cases can be quoted in which an influx of B.R.S. vehicles has introduced wasteful competition. To question the financial practice of a national organization is a two-edged indulgence. It is their undoubted business to work always to the advantage of the public. They should never lose sight, however, of the fact that the public, in this instance, includes many potential buyers who will appreciate a little more reassuring information, emphasis being on the italics and on the sound commercial proposition that the customer is always right.
London, S.W.11. E. H. -B. PALMER.
Birmingham's Urgent Traffic Problem
I HAVE noticed with some pleasure, that there have I been several letters in your correspondence columns concerning my article "Give the Driver a Better Workshop," published on June 26. I find, from personal experience, that most bus drivers are in agreement with the ideas advanced, but they are slow to express it on paper. It should, however, be quite obvious that the "New Look" style front is not popular among them. Also in the same issue was a most interesting article dealing with traffic congestion, in Birmingham. In this respect, it is good to hear that, following a visit by the Minister of Transport to the city, on July 30, permission was given by him to siart upon the Digbeth-Deritend widening scheme. Now that the trams have been scrapped, and the bus loading stand for the Erdington services removed to a 1320 point near the general hospital, the former tram loadit stand adjacent to Snow Hill is disused. It is suggest( that this stand might be brought into use again, I transferring the Midland " Red" stand, at prese situated witl-On the Greys bus station, in Bull Strei round the corner, so that Midland " Red " buses wou load in Steelhouse Lane itself. This would ease ti serious congestion outside Greys, due to there being t( many buses using the loading stands: it would n cause any undue hardship to passengers, as the ext distance involved is very little. It will be realized that, if this were done, the traf flow in Bull Street would be greatly improved. Midlat " Red " buses Would be able to remain in the off-MI traffic lane, instead of having to dislocate traffic in ti near-side lane, by first crossing to the near side, to loa and then turning out again to regain the off side. It is a matter for regret that there is no proper b station in Birmingham, as suggested by R. G. Brandc nor is there any plan mentioning one in the Inner Ril Road scheme; other towns and cities put us to sharr in this respect. Both Coventry and Walsall have cent] bus stations, and Derby's is excellent. Meanwhile, the bus passenger has to suffer the sho comings of the Bull Ring; the amount of congestif at this point is really heartbreaking. Anyone famili with the city will know that the centre of the Bull Ri is occupied by a statue of Lord Nelson, with toil( adjacent, and on market days the stalls encircle tht central erections. But there is no one-way or gyrate system in force. Traffic may pass in any directic there being no keep-left rule whatever. In fact, shot lorries carrying market produce be unable to unIcx they can, and often do, park on the Midland "Re reservation in the Bull Ring. In my opinion, this section should be railed or divid off in some other manner, whilst an orderly one-w system of traffic gyration should be adopted. 0 wonders how much longer it will be, before somethi is done in this matter.
Birmingham, 22A. R. A. MILLS.
Same Fare on Three Services
PART of your interesting article on the Nottingha. Clifton Estate bus service (July 31) may give I impression that the operators concerned, NottinghE City Transport, West Bridgford Urban District Coun and South Notts Bus Co. run the service with differt fares. In fact, on this joint service, these three operatt have identical conditions attached to their licences. does not matter whether a passenger boards a Nottir ham City, West Bridgford or South Notts bus on I joint service he pays the same fare.
It was only on an intermediate section of the rot between Clifton Estate and West Bridgford that Licensing Authority, supported by the Minister appeal, imposed on the joint service a protective fi in favour of the operators, who were already runni what was considered to be an adequate service on t part of the route. I. J. HENsoN, Clerk to the East Midland LicensiN Nottingham. _ Auth,ority.