Glasgow Train Route Fight Continues
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AT the resumed hearing of an application by McGill's Bus Service, Barrhead, for permission to run a through service from Speir's Bridge, near Paisley, to Renfrew Ferry, Mr. G. Ramsay, objecting for the Western S.M.T. Co., Ltd., told the Scottish Traffic Commissioners that he considered the public were well served by the existing services.
As reported in The Commerciol Motor on December 7 and last week, the proposed service would replace with buses, trams operated by Glasgow Cor
poration. Western S.M.T. are also applying to replace Glasgow trams by buses, and McGill's are among the objectors. Other objectors to McGill's application are Cunningham's Bus Service, Paton's Bus Service, Renfrew County Council and Paisley Town Council.
At the resumed hearing, evidence was given by Barrhead Town Council that a through service of the type proposed by McGill's would be more satisfactory.
Western S.M.T. Apply Western S.M.T. also applied for permission to run a school service from Barrhead to Speir's Bridge. McGill's objected and said that a similar application by them would be withdrawn.
A solicitor for Western S.M.T. asked the chairman, Mr. W. Quin, to ignore McGill's objection, because it had been lodged three days after the closing date, but he decided to let it stand.
Mr. F. McGill, managing director of McGill's, said that as both his company and Western S.M.T. were applying for through routes from Speir's Bridge to Renfrew Ferry, via Barrhead, there would be no need rol the proposed service.
He denied that his application was an attempt to encroach on another opera tor's territory. "There is no other operator on this route," he said. He agreed that Western S.M.T. ran close by, but pointed out that his company also had services in the neighbourhood.
There was strong opposition to a joint application by Paton's and Cunningham's to amend their terminal point from St. James's Street to County Square. Paisley. They also applied to n4 increase from 10 minutes to 5 minutes the frequency of their service between Glenfield and Renfrew Ferry, via Paisley.
Mr. A. Smith, for Paisley Town Council, said the proposed new terminal point was in front of the county buildings. On the west side it was bounded by the G.P.O., on the north side by Gilmour Street railway station, and on the south side by shops and commercial premises.
The major part of the west side was used by G.P.O. vehicles, and there was parking space for nine cars. Nearby, there was a taxi rank normally used ay eight taxis, but the town's 50 taxidrivers were all entitled to use the square.
Streets Congested Mr. Smith submitted that the streets leading into the square were already congested, and that the presence of buses would be dangerous because pedestrians were continually crossing the square. The council suggested Abercorn Street as an alternative terminal point. Both St. James's Street and Abercorn Street were within 300 yd. of the main shopping centre, he added.
Mr. H. McNaughton, Paisley's deputy engineer, said: "We are satisfied that it is not at all in the public interests or public safety for the buses to come into the square. We have already a very unfortunate accident rate in Paisley."
The Lord Provost, and the town clerk of Renfrew, supporting the application, said they were satisfied there was plenty of room for the buses without any danger to the public. It would also be convenient for travellers to Renfrew. as the trams would soon be taken off.
Mr. Quin said the Commissioners would visit the square and the surrounding streets before coming to a decision.
DEE BRIDGE PLAN
ASCHEME to bridge the Dee estuary between Greenfield and Gayton, to shorten the route between Cheshire and Lancashire and North Wales, is being studied. The bridge would cost an estimated £7.5m.. and tolls would be levied-9s. for a goods vehicle and 3s. for a car