Workers Must Accept One-man Operation—T.G.W.U. Secretary (INE-MAN operation would have
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to be accepted by bus workers, ‘-• Mr. Frank Coyle, trade group secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, told Chester and North Wales members of the Union at their annual conference at Colwyn Bay.
Otherwise, he said, some services would have to be abandoned. In certain rural districts, two-men-operated buses were losing as much as 10d. a mile.
A negotiating committee would, he added, meet Crosville Motor Services, Ltd., to discuss one-man operation.
B.M.M.O. To Run Nine After granting licences to the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd.. to run nine 40-seat one-manoperated buses on seven rural routes in Herefordshire from July 1, Mr. W. P. James, chairman of the West Midland Licensing Authority, said on Monday that he hoped that local councils and the public would co-operate fully in their use.
Mr. R. Brandon, traffic manager, said that revenue from the two-man-operated buses on the routes in question averaged 14.72d. per mile, whereas running costs totalled 25.72d. per mile, representing an annual deficit of £12,000. Last year 261,191 miles were run on the routes. One-man buses were estimated-to save about 14,000 a year. On the routes in question, few passengers boarded during itk journey and most of the fares could be collected at the terminals.
Mr. B. Sabell, area traffic officer, said the T.G.W.U. had agreed in principle to the experiment. Hereford City Council had withdrawn their objection. The county council had suggested that one-man buses should be used throughout the county.
The buses are standard S14 underfloor-engined 44-seat single-deckers modified by removing four seats. The driver hava separate compartment with a perspex partition. Behind the poweroperated front door is a large locker for passengers' parcels.
A Setright power-operated ticket machine and an Acral change-giving machine of the type used on the London Underground railways are installed in the cab. A hinged money tray in the driver's partition can be folded back to close the pay aperture and be locked in position.
Mr. Brandon told The Commercial Motor that the immediate target was 100 one-man buses "as the first batch."
Liverpool Starting Soon Liverpool Corporation will introduce one-man buses in a few weeks' time.
The Eastern Counties Omnibus Co.. Ltd.. are working two one-man 35seaters, with electrically operated doors, in the Bury St. Edmunds area. The ticket-issuing machines are also operated electrically.
Members of the National Union of Railwaymen are resisting the proposal of the Lincolnshire Road Car Co.. Ltd., to extend the use of one-man 41-seaters.