2d. Minimum Fare May be Necessary

22nd September 1950, Page 61

22nd September 1950

Page 61

Page 61, 22nd September 1950 — 2d. Minimum Fare May be Necessary

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Many Company and Municipal Operators Apply to Raise Charges AMINIMUM fare of 2d. was forecast last week by the general manager of Glasgow transport undertaking, Mr. E. R. L. Fitzpayne. Speaking at the annual conference of the Municipal Passenger Transport AssociationoMr. Fitzpayne, the-president of the Association, said that simplification of the fares structure was being forced on undertakings by economic circumstances. He believed that the lid. fare, now standard in almost every •eity, would soon be raised to provide sufficient revenue to meet increasing expenses. It remained to be seen which city would be first to introduce a 2d. minimum, (See page 142 for conference report.)

New London Fares London, however, will retain the lid. minimum after October 1, when the increased charges authorized by the Transport Tribunal come into force. Instead, the 24d. and 6d. fares will go up by id., whilst the lid. Ad. and 5d. tickets will remain unchanged. Fares between 7d. and Is. Id. will increase by ld.-2d.

Workmen's tickets will be abolished and a new general early-morning ticket will be introduced enabling any journey before 8 a.m. to be made for 2d. Green Line fares will be reduced from lid. per mile to lid. a mile to bring them into line with charges on all other forms of transport in the London Transport Executive area.

Following the lead given by coach operators whose applications to increase fares by 7 1/7 per cent, were reported in The Commercial Motor" last week, 80 operators of express services radiating from London have lodged a "blanket" application with the Metropolitan Licensing Authority. Among them are Associated Motorways, Ltd., Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., United Automobile Services, Ltd., Crosville Motor Services. Ltd., both the Western and Southern National companies, and Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd.

Vicious Circle

Aldershot and District .Traction Co., Ltd., in the same traffic area, has now applied for permission to bring fares on certain routes into line with those to be charged by the London Transport Executive from October 1. At the same time, the concern has asked to increase charges on routes cOmmon with Messrs. Yellow Bus Services, if permission be granted this company to increase fares. An earlier application by Aldershot and District Traction has been granted.

Mr. A. T. Brady, Dorking, Mr. S. G. Biss, Waltham Cross, and Book ham Saloon Transport Services, Ltd., have applied for revised and increased fares.

Services in the Darlington area are the subject of a number of applications to the Northern Licensing Authority. Bells Services, Ltd., Express Omnibus Co., Ltd., Durham, Messrs. James and Mosley, Croft Spa, Layfield Bus Services, Ltd., Durham District Services, Ltd., Alton Bros., Ltd., J. W. Hurst and Son, Ltd., Winlaton, Messrs. J. and W. Shaw Bros., Spennymoor, Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., and United Automobile Services, Ltd., have all proposed revised and increased fares on stage services and tours.

Further joint working arrangements, in addition to those reported in last week's issue of "The Commercial Motor," are now the subject of applications. Operators concerned include Messrs. M. Corless and Sons, Charnock Richard, and Messrs. J. Fishwick and Sons, Leyland, both operating jointly with Ribble Motor Services, Ltd. Potteries Motor Traction Co., Ltd_, and a number of joint operators have also applied for higher fares on a number of routes.

Manchester Objections

Arguing that increased return fares on services operated jointly by itself and Manchester and Stockport Corporations would divert traffic to the railways, the North-Western Road Car Co., Ltd., last week opposed the Manchester application to increase fares. The corporation had applied for increased fares on 13 routes, over which there was joint operation, and in objecting to the proposal the company stated that it would reduce short-distance fares in Stockport to compete with the municipal service.

Abandonment of the Id. fare is envisaged in a Northampton Corporation application. The only 4d. fare is to be reduced to 3d., whilst ordinary fares will apply to shorter stages. The id. child's fare is also to be abolished. In all, 24 routes are affected by the proposal, lodged with the East Midland Licensing Authority.

Nottingham Corporation has now been granted authority to increase all ordinary single fares.