Aldershot and District's Good Year
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IT was pleasant that in this, the cornI pany's golden jubilee year, the report he had to make for the 12 months ended March .31 last was one of a good year's working, declared the chairman, Mr. T. R. Williams, at the fiftieth annual general meeting at Aldershot last week of the Aldershot and District Traction Co., Ltd. "We were fortunate in retaining our passengers," added Mr. Williams. " There has been only a very small falling off in the number of people carried." Mr. Williams said that, despite wages and fuel tax increases, the directors felt that it was in the mutual interest of the and the company y that a further revision of fares should not be sought, at any rate, for the present. "We hope," he said, "that by maintaining our present level of fares we will encourage the public to continue to travel with us and not create another cycle of passenger resistance. In large measure we are able to take this step because of increased efficiency of operation to which there have been two major contributing factors. "The first is the willing co-operation of our staff in such matters as the one-man operation of vehicles and of re-scheduling of services, while the second is the purchase by the company of the most up-todate vehicles, both double-deck and single-deck. The travelling public are now well aware of the Dennis Loline doubledeck vehicle, which continues to operate economically and is so well received by them." Mr. Williams added that with the advent of new vehicles the company were endeavouring to extend their private hire business throughout their area.
Thames Valley Had
FINLESS fares were increased, the %-1 Thames Valley Traction Co. Ltd.'s profit next year would drop to less than three per cent., the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners were told at Reading last week. The Commissioners granted an application by the company for a general fares increase which adds id. to most single fares. The minimum fares of 3d. and 2d. remain, but there will be a slight reduction in mileage. The new fares are estimated to bring in an extra £103,000 a year. It is the company's third fares increase within 12 months. A general rise was awarded last July, and in March last the company were .allowed to charge more on unremunerative services. The Commissioners were told that in the first five months of this year the company lost more than half a million passengers. The Commissioners also heard that 23 objections had been lodged by local authorities, including five county councils. but all except one, Eton Rural District Council, had withdrawn their opposition.
Mr. J. Pearmain, secretary of Thames Valley, said that in 1961 the company's profit on capital employed on net