Congestion Hits Maidstone Services
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EXTREME difficulty was still being -1-4 experienced by Maidstone and District Motor Services Ltd. in maintaining their services at peak times in some urban areas because of severe traffic congestion. This was stated by Mr. R. P. Beddow, chairman, at the annual general meeting of the company last week. The growth of private car traffic had continued unabated, be said, adding to congestion and contributing materially to the decline in the number of passengers, which currently was more than 54 per cent below that of the previous year.
The company's financial results for the year ended March 31 last showed a decrease of more than £12,000 compared with the previous year, reported Mr. Beddow. the tax liability having increased substantially because of the increase in the standard rate of income tax. The sum of £100,000 had been transferred to general reserve, the directors following their policy of covering the difference between depreciation of rolling stock at historical and replacement costs. Mr. Beddow noted that if the provisions of the present Finance Bill had been in force as they now stood, with a corporation tax of 40 per cent. the company's tax provisidn would have gone up by some 140,000.
One small but encouraging feature of the company's work, continued Mr. Beddow, was its extended tours programme which last year was augmented
by the introduction of early and late season centred tours at attractive prices.
The policy of modernization of the company's fleet had continued, features being the introduction of further 53seater, 36-ft. single-deckers in substitution for small-capacity double-deckers on stage carriage work, and the introduction of new-type 49-seater vehicles for express services.