Authorities Wary of 2d. Minimum
Page 32
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Manchester and Sunderland Fares and Up :
Dundee to Appeal : Edinburgh Applies
RECENT decisions on the applications of Manchester, Sunderland and Dundee Corporations for augmented fares, and the trend of the proposals put forward in the past week by Edinburgh, Chester and Derby Corporations, reveal that the Licensing Authorities will
• not yet countenance a 2d. minimum fare.
In addition, discussions now taking place on the possibility of renewed approaches to the Authorities for modified fare scales indicate that to obtain higher revenue, undertakings are suggesting shorter stages, fewer odd id. units in fare tables, and a ruthless reduction in the number of concession rates.
New fare scales, expected to raise the annual revenue by £425,000, have been granted to Manchester Corporation by the North-western Licensing Authority. Permission to establish a 2d. minimum fare was withheld, however, and for an "experimental period," probably six months, the undertaking may charge lid: for one stage, as against two as at present. Both motorbus and trolleybus charges are concerned in the decision, and it is 'expected that the new charges will come into operation about the second week in December.
id. and id. Extra
The nel. and 2d. tickets will then cost id. more, and most others will go up by Id., -as in most cases concerning fares over 3d., stage lengths have been reduced. Children's and workmen's fares are also affected Proportionately.
Having been granted permission to add id. to all fares apart from the lid_ and to introduce 12-journey tickets at a reduced charge, Dundee Corporation has decided to appeal against the decision of the Scottish Licensing Authority, and to carry on with the old fares. An appeal against a decision given last February • is still awaiting a hearing, and therefore the town council has asked the Minister of Transport to Consider the new one as a matter of great urgency.
Concessions Restricted
In his decision. the Licensing Authority limited the availability of the concession tickets, which were intended to provide for 12 journeys at any time, without restriction, for id. or Id. less per journey than the single fare. to two journeys per day, at a saving of id. or id. per journey. The ticket was limited to use in the week of issue. If no limitation had been placed on the period of use of the tickets, stated the decision, the additional revenue expected from the application might not have been achieved.
Stating that the decision had been a great disappointment to the corporation, a spokesman declared that the variation of the original proposal put by the corporation turned the concession ticket into a workmen's ticket, which was not what had been required. It would not meet the demands of all passengers in its revised form. Earlier, the same Licensing Authofity 40.30
had Promised a rapid decision on the application of Edinburgh Corporation, which suggested reduced fare stages for the 2id. and 3d. tickets, new 4d, and 5d. tickets and modifications to children's, workmen's and scholars' fares. These measures were estimated to raise revenue by £239,000 a year. New charges were put into effect in Edinburgh last February.
Since that time fuel and tyre costs had risen by £31,500 a year, wages and salaries had gone up by £183,000, and provision for renewals by £100,000. The deficit next year would reach £273,000 on the existing. charges.
The undertaking had been carrying millions more children than ever before, stated the general manager. There was a constant average increase in the number of Id. fares issued, and in the previous application the undertaking had been "badly caught out" on this score. Staggering of traffic would make real economies possible.
Sunderland Succeeds
Sunderland Corporation has now received permission to introduce augmented charges on buses and trams. The new rates are estimated to increase
revenue by 197,049 a year. Almost half of the passengers travelling on the undertaking's vehicles will be unaffected by the fares modifications.
At the hearing, last week, of the application of Wilts and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd, 10 local authorities objected to the increases proposed. , These called for an ail-round addition of id. to existing fares below 6d., except those charged in Salisbury. It was also proposed to revise the fare tables on a mileage basis. Extra revenue amounting to £34,000 was expected from these changes, which would convert an esti• mated deficit for the current year of £15,000, into a profit. The Licensing Authority rejected the mileage basis and discussions will he held on a revised system .
Although it had been estimated that fares increases granted last December would create a profit of £12,500 in the financial year, 1951-1952, Chester Corporation is now faced with a deficit of £6,746 for this period. This was stated during the hearing of the corporation's application before the North-western Licensing Authority, last week. Proposals made in the previous application had not been granted in full, expendi
lure had risen by 115,800, revenue had declined by 11,300 atid there was now only £138 in the reserve fund.
It was now proposed to add Id. to all fares, except certain of the I Id. ones. Revenue would thus be advanced by £17,000 a year. This would produce a profit of £7,500 in 1952-1953.
Last Wednesday, the North-western Licensing Authority heard the case of Southport Corporation for an addition of d. to all fares over 20. The undertaking is losing £1,500 a month.
On the following day, the East Midland Licensing Authority heard the third application lodged in the past year by Derby Corporation. This suggested a 2d. minimum chatge, reducLions of stage lengths and .certain inereases aimed at advancing the annual revenue by £60,000.
Welsh Application
All-round increases, including the elimination of odd id. units in the 21d.110. fare range, raising the level of return fares to 1,15d. per mile and the abolition of certain workmen's sevenday tickets, have been applied for by Mid-Wales Motorways, Ltd., Newtown. Thirty-six services are affected.
In consequence of higher rates granted to the Eastern National Omnibus Co.. Ltd., new applications have been lodged by Hicks Bros., Ltd., • Chelmsford, and Moore Bros.. •Ltd.. Kelvedon. Westcliff-on-Sea Motor Services, Ltd., his also applied for increases in the area. Over 20 services are concerned.
Faced with a deficit this. year of 129.339, Wallasey Corporation has decided to apply for permission to abolish workmen's . tickets, and to replace them bv an' early-morning reduced rate. This move would produce an additional £42,775 a year. leaving £17,000 to be found from economy measures.