Operators Denounce Double-deckers

22nd September 1950, Page 64

22nd September 1950

Page 64

Page 64, 22nd September 1950 — Operators Denounce Double-deckers

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Single-deck Vehicles Up to 40 ft. Long Considered at M.P.T.A. Conference

ACAMPAIGN to persuade the Ministry of Transport to legalize 35-ft.long single-deckers should be started by the industry, said Mr. E. R. L. Fitzpayne, general manager, Glasgow Transport Department, in his presidential address last week to the 49th conference of the Municipal Transport Association at Edinburgh. A decision on this matter would lead to the scrapping of many double-deckers without regrets, he added.

The Continental type of single-decker demanded a simplification of the fares structure, he continued. The lid. minimum fare, now almost standard, hardly provided the necessary revenue to meet mounting expenses, and it was probable that a 2d. minimum fare would soon be necessary.

Mr. Fitzpayne recalled that in his presidential address of 1903 Mr John Young said: "As regards the municipalized tramways, I think that the object lesson of the operation of tramways on the best commercial lines, which the municipalities are now giving to the country. may well make Parliament feel disposed to lighten their own hands and those of their public departments at Westminster and Whitehall by throwing more direct responsibility upon the local authorities in connection with their respective undertakings."

Free Hand Essential

These sentiments were as true to-day as they were 50 years ago. Municipal transport was being conducted along sound business lines, although there were instances where politics were_permined to interfere with the commercial interests of undertakings. Nevertheless, departments had been operated with the general approval of the public and so far corporations had been permitted to conduct their affairs without undue interference

Calling attention to the rise in the cost of social services from £1 per head of population in 1900 to £36 7s. in 1949, Mr. Fitzpayne reported that during the past year a first meeting of the transport department medical officers of London, Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool had taken place. Eyesight and physical standards, fatigue, labour turnover, safety, first aid and absence through sickness had been discussed. A general increase in sickness had followed the introduction of sickpay schemes and the cost, together with that of superannuation, was a heavy burden on industry.

Accident Control

Bailie Gordon Reid, sub-convener, Glasgow Transport Department, dealing with the control and avoidance of accidents, said that Glasgow intended to operate Continental-type single-deck :rolleybuses. They would have a loading platform accommodating some 20 passengers, who would file past a seated conductor whose main duties would be to regulate the boarding passengers and announce the .stopping places.

The driver would be responsible for B30 the exit; alternatively, this door might be operated by the weight of a passenger on a pad near it. It was expected that this vehicle would be able to maintain a high schedule speed without risk to the passengers, and that platform accidents would be reduced. The absence of an upper deck would speed up loading and unloading.

A device produced by Mr. G. Rock, general manager of Lincoln Transport Department, whereby passengers on both decks could indicate that they meant to leave the vehicle at the next stop had recently been demonstrated in Glasgow. By touching a flexible rubber strip on the roof, Cie passenger switched on small lamps on the ceiling of each deck and in the driver's cab, This indicated to all standing passengers that the vehicle would pull up at the next official stop, so that they were prepared, and falls were minimized. Glasgow officials had examined the device and were so pleased with it that they had instructed that a number of their vehicles should be fitted with it. It might well be that the whole Glasgow fleet would eventually be equipped with this safety measure.

Ease Driver's Burden

Ald. E. Ball (Wigan) did not believe that the driver should have his attention divided between road and passengers. He thought it would be better to ease the driver's burden and felt that there ought to be special vehicles for peakload periods. The parked vehicle was a principal cause of traffic congestion; one car badly parked for an hour could inconvenience 6,000 bus passengers.

Ald. J. H. Whittaker (Todmorden) said that automatic traffic lights could never be a satisfactory substitute for police control. The double-decker had put the passenger industry on its feet and without it undertakings would lose money. Single-deck buses, 40 ft. long, as suggested by Bailie Reid, would involve the reconstruction of streets.

Mr. H. Muscroft (Huddersfield) remarked that a bonus given as suggested, for good driving, would be a bonus for doing normal workand could not be described as an incentive. Accident statistics must in all cases be related to mileage. A person in charge of a powerful vehicle was in charge of a lethal weapon and there was nothing the pedestrian could do in opposition. The accident problem should be considered nationally and should be taken into a special court for accidents both on the road and elsewhere.

Coun. T. Lincoln (South Shields) agreed that traffic lights hindered movement and thought that islands were an improvement where it was practicable to provide them. Mr. R. C. Moore (Sheffield) said all would watch with the greatest interest the Glasgow experiment with the large-capacity singledecker. The parking problem should be tackled boldly.

Safety Experiment

Mr. W. Rooinson (Brighton) also urged action on car parking. Many pedestrian crossings were badly sited_ He had experimented with a warning sign which showed a "Bus Starting" panel towards the boarding passengers • when the starting signal was pressed. The idea was abandoned because, if the device were out of action, and an accident took place, it would weigh against the department legally.

Mr. C. Jackson (Plymouth) said his undertaking had reduced accidents by fitting a buzzer, which could be operated only by the conductor, apart from the bell which was used by passengers. He thought the 40-ft. vehicle was impracticable.

Mr. L. T. Merrall (Rawtenstall) declared that with improved brakes, the driver was to-day more apt to stop his vehicle violently, thus causing accidents to passengers inside the vehicles. Too many accidents were caused by dogs running aimlessly into the road and legislation should be introduced to stop this nuisance.

Replying, Bailie Reid said that on the Continent, long single-deck vehicles worked admirably. People would rather stand on the single-deck bus and move than stand in the queue and not do so. There were much improved trafficators ready now and Glasgow might commence to use them in the near future. What ever might be said, the 40-ft. vehicle was a practical proposition in many places.

Pedestrian Control

The double-decker had produced serious accidents in Glasgow this year, and there was always the danger that it could capsize. At crossings the pedestrian should be just as subject to police control as a vehicle driver. There was every reason to press the authorities to spend more money on the roads of our cities.

There were 290 delegates from 83 local authorities at the conference, in addition to 170 representatives of the industry. At the annual banquet the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Sir Andrew Murray, 0.B.E., was principal guest.

There were those who thought that the M.P.T.A. would by now have become defunct, commented Mr. RStuart Pileher. West Midland Licensing Authority, but there would always be the need for an organization to do the work which had been committed to the Association.