Wallasey g.m praised for new route structure
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE North-Western Traffic Commissioners on Tuesday granted an application for substantial revision of the route structure of Wallasey Corporation buses after a three-hour hearing at Wallasey.
The chairman, Mr. C. R. Hodgson, said the Commissioners congratulated Wallasey's young and energetic general manager, Mr. C. G. Harding, on his forward-looking policy in adapting management techniques of operational research to a passenger transport undertaking. They also congratulated the council for their courage in accepting his advice. Certain members of the public would suffer by the new measures and others would gain; the plan must, however, be given a chance.
Mr. C. K. Wilson, deputy town clerk, said it was hoped to start the new arrangement on or before February 12, but a lot of publicity work had to be done as well as an application for fare increases.
The basic reason for revising route structure was that for 30 years bus services in the town had not appreciably altered although passenger requirements had changed con siderably. For years the undertaking had faced an increasing annual loss.
At Mr. Harding's insistence the council decided to obtain accurate information on the whole transport situation. A firm of consultants, Business Operations Research Ltd., was asked to survey the town's bus services and design a system of routes and frequencies.
Main conclusions of the study were that the fleet could be reduced by 21 per cent, the maximum number of buses in operation at any one time by 20 per cent and the total mileage operated by 5 per cent. This would save an estimated £35,000 a year. The revised structure included the abolition of certain routes and the introduction of five circular rims.
Six residents contended they would be affected by the changes and a cinema representative said cinemas in the town had already been hit by the withdrawal of services.
Mr. Michael Laskier, for Wallasey Trades Council and Labour Party, said the application was against both the local and national interest.