West Mids Executive makes Lim in 1972
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• Increasing use of one-man operation is the single most important reason for the West Midlands PTE making a surplus of £1,072,000 in 1972, says its annual report published this week. The proportion of mileage operated by o-m-o buses went up from 20 to 50 per cent in 1972.
Passenger recession was five per cent which is reported to be less than anticipated, although direct comparisons with previous years are not possible. One-manning has also ended staff availability problems and recruitment has declined. The "overwhelming majority" of passengers now accepted the need to have the correct fare ready when boarding the bus. At the same time over 70,000 Travelcard season tickets had been issued.
The new Centrebus service, operated by Commer 19-seaters, had a disappointing start with costs of 30p per mile being offset by takings of only 2p per mile in its first six weeks and 4p during the pre-Christmas rush. Services provided for schools and factories continued to make a loss — in the north division, for instance, they lost as much as £4000 per week.
Chairman of the PTA, Cllr Gilroy Bevan reports in his introductory remarks that the PTE is "on the threshold of finalizing negotiations with the National Bus Company regarding the Midland Red operation in our area".
The report concluded that the rosy picture of 1972 was unlikely to be continued in 1973 when the PTE expected to be operating at a deficit in the early part of the year, but could not increase fares because of the Government's anti-inflation measures.