THROUGH BOOKINGS AS FORM OF RATE-CUTTING.
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THE hearing of. some 100 applica-liens by the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., many of them concerned. with the introduction of through bookings from minor fare stages into London, •was commenced by the SouthEastern Traffic Commissioners last Friday. There were numerous objectors, some of them being backed by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association. Only four cases were heard,
Sir Henry Piggott, chairman of the CornmissiOners, said that, Whilst there might be a question of convenience, they could not ignore the effect of through bookings in attracting traffic from other legitimate operators. He regarded the proposals rather as a form of rate-cutting.
The applications, so far as they concerned through bookings, were refused, and the hearing was adjourned until December 3. It is understood that, if through bookings be refused in the next case to be heard on that date, all the other applications of this class will be withdrawn.
TRAVEL CLUB OFFENCES RESULT IN FINES.
AN ex-road-service-licence holder and his son were recently charged at High Wycombe, at the instance of the East Midland Traffic Commissioners, for " using" and " permitting to be used," respectively, a public service vehicle without a road service licence.
The owner formerly held road service licences, but sold out to a limited company, which employed him for a time. When his connection with the company was severed, his son formed a club called the High Wycombe Touring Club, which advertised excursions and tours, as well as shopping facilities from neighbouring villages into High Wycombe. Life membership of the club cost Id., and when further subscriptiems were made to the club, the member was allowed to take part in the tours.
The son drove the vehicles, which were supplied by his father. Defendants contended that this was a bona fide club and " contracts," were entered into between it and the owner of the public service vehicles. The magistrates, however, did not take this view and imposed fines on both defendants.
OLD-ESTABLISHED OPERATOR SELLS SERVICES.
THE transfer of certain services of Meisrs. E, Laycock and Sons, of Cowling, one of the oldest motorbus concerns in the North of England, to the Burnley, Caine and Nelson Joint Transport Committee, took place last week.
Messrs. Layeack retain the service from Barnoldswiek to Skipton, via West Marton, The Joint Committee a.rmounces that, in connection with the services in the Colne-Earby and Skipton district, a scheme of co-ordination with the Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., is under consideration. FARES COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER NEW PROCEDURE.
IT is understood that, at the end of this month or the beginning of December, certain of the Regional Fares Committees will meet to consider the recommendations made by a meeting of operators, three weeks ago, for speeding up procedure in the variation of fares. The recommendations were reported in the issue of The Commercial Motor dated November 9.
FREE TRAVEL AND CONTRACT CARRIAGE.
AT Forfar Sheriff Court, last week, an interesting point arose in connection with: an alleged. contractcarriage offenee. It was stated that "a sheeting tenant paid £120 for the use of a vehicle to convey servants, beaters and guests to Glen Prosen. It was argued that as the passengers did not pay fares, the vehicle was a contract carriage. The Sheriff, however, imposed a fine of £1.
COMPLAINT TO BE . INVESTIGATED.
THE Southern Scotland Traffic Commissioners are to hold a public inquiry into allegations that the 'coupon. ticket system was being abused by Clydebank Motors, Ltd., and Bantle Brothers, Ltd., Dumbarton. A serious falling-off in railway receipts on the route covered by these companies' services, said Mr. A. Henderson, chairman, had led to an investigation, stated to have revealed abuses.
SPEEDING UP BUS TRAFFIC.
REATER consideration for publickelservice vehicles in planning traffic codes was sought by Mr. Henry Watson, in a paper read to members of the Omnibus Society, in London, last Friday. He suggested several restrictions that should be placed on horsed traffic for the benefit of coaches and buses.
In his opinion. London's mid-day bus services were excessive, whilst considerable unnecessary obstruction was caused by the trams. He thought that, in important streets where bus traffic was heavy, co-ordinated traffic signals should be timed to suit publicservice vehicles.
ALL NEWPORT TRAMS TO GO?
AT its next meeting, Newport Town Council will consider whether entirely to replace the trams by either trolleybuses or oil-engined buses. A subcommittee states that, for five years, an extra -R1,000 a year, in addition to the £16,433 at present borne, would be added to the burden of the ratepayers if trolleybuses were introduced. The operation of oilers would add £500 a year.
EXTENDED TOURS: TIME TO CALL A HALT?
THAT the North-Western Commis1 sioners felt that the granting of licences •for extended tours with the same freedom as hitherto, would have to be reconsidered, was announced by the chairman, Mr. W. Chamberlain, on Monday.
" We feel that the time has come when we may call a halt," said Mr. Chamberlain, "feeling that stabilization has been reached, to some extent, and that further facilities should not be granted unless there is evidence of a definite need." An application before the Commissioners in respect of seven-day tours, including hotel accommodation, was granted, pickingup facilities being res,tricted to the line of route. In an application in which new tours were included in the place of those previously run, the chairman, in granting the licence, said that there was no objection to variety, of destination.
19 TROLLEYB USES FOR NEW BRADFORD ROUTE.
BRADFORD Corporation's new trolleybus service to Thornton, which has replaced trams, was opened, on Tuesday, by the Lord Mayor of Bradford (Mr. Walter Hodgson). Up to the present, 12 A.E.C.-English Electric vehicles have been put into service and nine more are to be delivered. The 60-seater four-wheeled vehicles have been specially designed to meet the strenuous conditions prevailing by reason of Bradford's hilly nature and the snow and ice which often present a difficulty.
Speaking after a luncheon Which followed the opening ceremony, Mr. L. H. Short, of the English Electric Co., Ltd., mentioned that a reduction in weight had been obtained by the use of all-metal bodies, the frames being of high-tensile steels and the panels of aluminium. Mr. C. R. Tattam, Bradford Corporation's tramways manager, remarked that there was room for trains, motorbuses and trolleybuses. " PROTECTION" CONFERENCE REJECTS PROPOSALS.
PROTECTION for the DunfermlineLochore service of the Dunfermline and District Traction Co. was the subject of a conference between representatives of Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly Town Councils and Fife County Council, last week. The conference was called at the request of the Traffic Commissioners.
In view of the annual losses sustained on the company's trams during the two years of protection, the bus operators considered withdrawing their services. An agreement had, however, been reached whereby W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., subject to official consent, would, for a year, operate buses at the expense of the Traction Co.
The conference was unable to recommend the proposals for acceptance. A further meeting with the companies concerned is to be held.
ROAD-RAIL EXCURSIONS: FAIR DETAILS NECESSARY.
AN portant decision concerning the operation of road services in connection with railway excursions has been announced by the Minister of Transport.
The appeals upon which the decision was based were lodged by Messrs. E. R. and C. R. Sudweeks, of Devizes, and 19 other operators, against the Western Traffic Commissioners' action in granting the Bath Tramways and Motor Co., Ltd., permission to run special stage services in connection with combined rail and road excursions.
In the Minister's official intimation he states that Regulation 41 of the Public Service Vehicles (Licences and Certificates) Regulations, 1933, prescribes the particulars required in a 'notice of an application for insertion in " Notices and Proceedings." He agrees with the appellants' contention that the Bath company did not comply with the provisions of Regulation 41, and he has decided to revoke the licence.
It should, the Minister states, have been possible for the applicant to comply with the Regulation by giving possible objectors a reasonable " picture '' of the services which it proposed to operate. Amongst other necessary items should have been set out the names of the railway stations to be used as terminal points, the villages to be connected with each station, the routes to be taken between the stations and the appellants' authorized service routes, where such routes did not touch the stations, and some indication of the frequency of the services.
The Minister has not found it necessary to consider, on merits, the conditions attached to the licence by the Commissioners. vices. After a co-ordination scheme had been planned, it was alleged to have been discovered that the corporation was not adhering to the agreed timetable, and on making a protest the company was informed that the Commissioners had given the corporation Consent to run the new services.
When the application came -up for hearing, the Lincolnshire company was informed that it had no locus. On this ground it was maintained that the Minister should refer the case back to the Commissioners, not so much to be re-heard as to be heard.
THREE NEW REGULATIONS.
AS already announced in The COMvnercial Motor, three new Regulations will come into force on December 1. These are the Public Service Vehicles (Contract Carriage Records) Regulations, 1934; Public Service Vehicles (Licences and Certificates) Regulations, 1934; and Public Service
PLANS TO BRING COACHES TO NEW BRIGHTON.
AUCH enterprise is being shown by 1VIthe New Brighton Development Society, Ltd., in encouraging coach operators to run services to this go ahead seaside resort. As mentioned last week, the Society is offering attractive prizes to the operator and driver who bring the largest number of passengers to New Brighton during the early part of next season.
On Tuesday last Mr. A. Panagaltis, a director of the Society, circularized about 500 operators and stated in his letter that "this year the number of passengers brought to New Brighton by motor coach has shown a large increase, and it has been ascertained that a big proportion of them will pay repeat visits." He added that "New Brighton is not at all well served with railway facilities, and long-distance passengers are involved in a fatiguing journey."