AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

WILL MOTORBUSES SUPERSEDE TRAMS?

23rd January 1919
Page 7
Page 7, 23rd January 1919 — WILL MOTORBUSES SUPERSEDE TRAMS?
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Interesting Decisions by Municipal Authorities.

Now that "reconstruction" is the order of the day, it is noteworthy to observe that most municipal tramway authorities propose meeting the demands for more travelling facilities by the provision of motorbuses.

More accommodation for travellers is imperative, and it is undeniably an astonishing sign of the time that many municipal authorities which own tramways should be looking towards tho motor omnibus to solve traffic problems. The question whether trams would for ever be able to hold their own against motorbuses used to be a delightful de. bating topic before the war, and it is Quaint to recall the frantic arguments of those who believed tramways to be indispensable.

But the war has softened the views of many ardent partisans, and as is now evident, after-war conditions are going to do more than arguments to settle an old problem. The fact is that it will not be possible to get tramcars or tram rails for such a long time that the only way by which local authorities ciin provide increased travel facilities is by _buying motorbuses. Portsmouth, for example, is at this moment considering a report of the tramways manager, who suggests 1 motorbuses because it is not possible to rely upon purchasing tramcars for months and months and months. .

Lincoln Corporation is making inquiries about omnibuses, electric vehicles being favoured.

Liverpool Corporation, unable to augment the tramway service, proposes to cope with the situation by acquiring a

in

tention motorbuses. Here it is the that the bus routes shall keep as far as possible off the main tramway thoroughfares, so as to avoid congestion; but, as the Tramways Committee has artlessly admitted, on certain parts of the journey the motorbuses, being able to travel at high speed, will beat the tramcars in point of time.

Barrow Town Council has lately, in view of the failure of the local tramway system, asked its Parliamentary Committee to consider the desirability of promoting a Bill ir. Parliament to enable it to run motorbuses. . _ • Eastbourne, which has a most success ful motorbus service, which last year yielded a profit of £3600—equivalent to A rate of 2d. in the getting 10 More Leyland buses to enable the efficiency of the service to be improved as well as maintained.

Sheffield Corporation will increase its bus services the Moment opportunity offers. • . •

Tynernouth Town Council is promotin a Bill to secure power to provide and run trolley vehicles and omnibuses.

The foregoing evidence is significant ; but discussions elsewhere testify that the views of councils are generally in the same direction.

Walthamstow, which has its tramway system, is now Considering " railless traction" and "other forms" of traffic, a fact which indicates that the couneillore there are not in these days full of blind allegiance to the trams. The tram manager has been authorized to visit such towns as is necessary to investigate.

Birkenhead Corporation Tramways Committee is now considering the introduction of motorbus services. Lancaster Town Connell is improving its bus service.


comments powered by Disqus