Recognition for Mileage Scale?
Page 43
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HE increase in staff wages made last I October would cost £197,000 a year —said Mr. E. S. Fay, QC., and was the main reason behind the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus, Ltd., application for increases in fares.
The West Midland Traffic Commissioners, at Birmingham last week, heard the proposal to increase fares from 4d. to 8d; by id.; from 9d. to is. 113d. by Id. and those over 2s. by 2d.
The company also asked that workmen's and miners' return fares between 101d. and ls. 1 lid. be increased by 2d. and those over 2s. by 3d.
There were eight objectors to the application—Evesham Borough Council, Halesowen Borough Council, Kidderminster Rural Council, Shrewsbury Borough Council, Sutton Coldfield Borough Council, Loughborough and District Trades Council, the Communist Party and Mr. R. Deeley, a private individual.
For the company, Mr. Fay said that it was intended to take the first step towards the introduction of a logical fares structure based on the mileage scale. It would mean that a person in one part of the company's area would pay the same fare as another making a journey of similar length in another part of the area.
The application asked that the mileage scale be recognized. The proposal, with certain exceptions and limitations, was to bring fares below that scale up to it, those on or above it, would not be touched.
Mr. Fay said that the increase in wages _ had partly been offset by the allowances made in the recent Budget—but the company still faced an extra expenditure of £158,000 for the year.
At the second day of the hearing final submissions by the objectors contended that in its present financial state the company could absorb increased costs, estimated at £158,000, without resorting to increased fares.
The Commissioners reserved their decision on the application.