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PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.

23rd January 1923
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Page 13, 23rd January 1923 — PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.

GETTING READY FOR ACTION.

Coaching Reflections: The Season that has Gone and the Season that is Coming.

WHAT should be the keynote of the 1923 motor coach trade? Some say optimism, others stabilization, enterprise, confidence, etc., until one almost exhausts the range of suitably. expressive terms. Many of the coach owners we have interviewed, however, place emphasis on the need for, caution, and are not disposed to indulge in highflown fancies as to the likely course of events in the realm of passenger transport during the ensuing few months..

The ranks of motor coach owners have been thinned out, and this means that if the 1923 season is nornially busy there will be more 'work for those in a position to offer a full service. Notwithstanding this, however, the elements of disruptive competition have not yet been entirely eliminated, and there Is, as a result, a certain amount of anxiety as to what the 1923 season will bring forth..

The Lancashire United Tramways, Ltd., of Atherton, who operate a huge fleet. of motor coaches, omnibuses antl electric tramcars, totalling nearly a hnndred vehicles, and whose business is that of passenger carriers exclusively, are now in course of preparing their Season's ,programme, which, as formerly, will inchnie daily services.

. 'Conditions were so. had last. year that there-is not much encouragenient to in'clulge in experimental ventures, mid for that reason well-tried Lours which have

proved satisfactory in the past will have a full measure of publicity this coming season. The daily run to Blackpool will be resumed, as well as the week-end tours to Llandudno and the North Wales coast resorts.

For the Blackpool run a new type of body, known as the Strachan and Brown, will be put in commission. This body, a.s many of our readers may know, is an all-weather type, and having roll-top roof and drop windows, it can, in the space of a few seconds, enable a semiopen vehicle to be converted to a closed vehicle. Outings to Llangollen, Chester, Soutlipert, etc., will also figure in the list of single-booking destinations. Arrangements are in hand for " °evering " the Grand National, to be held at the end of March, and bookings and inquiries are being received fur this event.

When new business is not coming in cheerily,.ceach owners haee to go out andlook for it, and, having suffered last year, they have now considerable leeway to make up. Last year, one of the passenger agents, interested in the Belton holidays, organized an eight-day tour/ to Bournemouth. The Lancashire United Tramways, Ltd., impressed by the success of the venture, are now endeavouring to have similar arrangements made for the Leigh, Atherton and Tylde,sley Whitsuntide holidays, for which, of course, they would provide the coaches.

"We consider that the prospects of the coach trade in 1923 are better than they were last year," said a representative of the L.U.T. to the writer, " but, of course, as yet no decision has been come to on the important matter of rates. Last year, from the inquiries we had, we did fifteen times more work and handled as many times less money than the year before, En that on the matter of rates one can at least express the hope that the coach industry has seen its worst days.

" Last year the lowest rate was about three farthings per passenger per mile, Or, taking it for the season through, about one penny. Bearing in mind that costaare up about 140 per cent, over the pre-war figure, when the passenger rate was about three farthings per mile, it will be seen that passengers paying ode penny per mile are being provided with extraordinarily cheap travelling facilities. We ran special tours last .year, and we intend to repeat them this year—to Blackpool, 80 miles, for 5s."

The Lancashire United Tramways Co. are believers in offering to the public the best service they can provide at a eeasonable price. They regard themselves as specialists in passenger transport, and, reserving their machines exclusively for this service, contend that they are entitled to a fraction -more than the bare minimum competitive rate, owing. to the high establishment and maintenance charges which have to be eneounterett when the coaches cannot be utilized on other and alternative employment bringing in revenue.

• No pasSenger vehicle of the L.U.T. is engaged on any. other...Work then that for which it was intended; and the strict

observance of this rule has resulted in the company on innumerable occasions having turned down offers of haulage work. The maintenance of an efficient fleet of motor coaches, and the service which specialists in passenger transport can render to the public, merit the fractional increase in rates that the conductors of such enterprises contend they should have. Unfortunately, however, competitive conditions have resulted in the paring of even minimum rates.

It is still a matter of amazement why so many coach owners cut rates with so E27 little compunction, when they are always amongst the first to feel the rebound. Coach owners should not overlook the fact that theirs is a very irregular trade, and the preservation of their economic dependence should be a first consideration.

The Lancashire United Tramways, Ltd., " work" a big slice of south-west Lancashire—Manchester, Liverpool, Warrington, and a score or two busy in towns, with a combined population running into millions, and the average employment per week of their coaches for the last three years is approximately as follows.—

In 1920 each coach averaged four days' employment in seven.

In 1921 each coach averaged three days' employment in seven.

In 1922 each coach averaged two days' employment in seven.

These figures, however, only tell part of the story. To show the course of rates and the demand for trips, the fallowing figures, supplied by the company, should be read conjointly: Average rates Number Per pas. per mile. of Tours. 2 1921 ... 1A.-14c1. ... 3,265 1922 ... ... 2,500 (approx.) Thus in two years both the rate of . revenue and the number of trips have been reduced, the former over 50 per cent., and the latter 35 per cent.. When these figures are applied proportionately to a small undertaking with two, three, or four coaches, is it any wonder that so many coach owners have sought " green fields and pastures new "?

To consolidate and strengthen the coaching industry, two methods will have to be resorted to conjointly :—(1) Booming the travel by road movement, and (2) the stabilization of rates.

The Lancashire United Tramways, Ltd., although believers in the smaller B2S

coach (20-seaters oil pneumatic tyres), fear that developments in this direction will be limited owing to the difficulty of getting the public to pay the slight extra oust for the improved travelling facilities. And the public are not altogether to blame. There are some coach owners, competitors of the L.U.T. Co., who are running pneumatic-shod coaches, 20seaters, at rates which almost make one sins dder.

Until, therefore, coach propaganda is directed along the right lines, and some of the coach owners are saved from themselves, it seems that the 28-seater Coach, and its smaller confrere, will. to EGMB extent be in active competition, which is very undesirable.

The operation of a big fleet of coaches is not without its anxieties. The Laima.", shire United Tramway; Ltd., every summer indulge in extensive publicity campaigns. Last year they advertised one-important tour on the hoardinOalid were amazed on going round the stations to find that some person had pasted a slip over their announcements Booked Up." As might be expected, the effect was absolutely to destroy the value of the advertising effort.

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