New Sunderland Bus Systei Step Nearer
Page 44
Page 45
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
BY DEREK MOSES FOLLOWING the publication of a 30-page report advocating the introduction of one-man single-deck buses throughout the Sunderland Corporation Transport undertaking (The Commercial Motor, April 9) the town council has approved the transport committee's recommendation that a seven-man working party should spend a week in Copenhagen to study that city's method of operation. This working party will report back to the council, which will then have to decide whether or not to adopt the proposals outlined in the report.
Briefly, the report, prepared by Mr. Norman Morton, Sunderland's general manager, calls for the adoption of a " token " system similar to that employed on Copenhagen's new buses, and described in this journal on November 6 and December 25 last. In the case of Sunderland, two basic fares would apply —3d. from any point into the town centre, and 6d. any distance cross-town, with half fares for children and old people. Tokens would be purchased from the driver at 10 for 2s. 6d. Passengers would still be able to pay the driver for an imtnediate journey, but would be charged a " penalty " fare of 4d. and 8d. respectively.
As an interim measure, this system of fare collection would also apply on the undertaking's double-deckers, the tokens being handed to the conductor who would still be employed, and who would issue 4d. or 8d. tickets as appropriate when tokens were not proffered; the double-deckers would gradually be replaced by 36-ft. one-man single-deckers, however.
If Sunderland's town council gives the scheme the " go-ahead " signal, Sunderland Corporation Transport will undoubtedly become a " mpdel " undertaking, watched with considerable interest by many other towns and transport operators. Nor will it be the first time
that Sunderland has been watched with such interest. In 1929 the council approved an ambitious plan for the complete modernization of its tramway system, a scheme which was against the tide of popular feeling. Sunderland remained almost completely alone amongst mediumand small-town undertakings in England. Many municipalities watched the modernization of the town's tramways with interest--none followed suit. I wonder if it will be the same story again this time? •
It seems to me that there is a growing tide of enthusiasm for maximum-seatingcapacity buses—" seats for all " is the cry of many municipal managers—and that means double-deckers with conductors in most eases, The argument in favour of this is that the utmost must be done to encourage car owners to travel by bus. Expecting them to stand in a crowded single-decker is hardly the way to go about it, they claim.
As. the same executives are faced, in many cases, with the endless worry of recruiting sufficient platform staff, especially conductors, I have often wondered if it is reluctance to upset labour relations rather than a fervour for "seats for all" that is at the back of their minds.
The economies which can be achieved by widespread one-man operation must be a temptation which can only be resisted with the knowledge of the busmen's widespread fear of this type of development. Time and again such schemes have been delayed or shelved altogether because of the hue and ,:ry from local branches of the busmen's union. " Redundancy " is their worry— which is rather illogical when services are being drastically reduced due to the lack of busmen!
Even if Sunderland Corporation can get round th:s• one (and if the member bus companies of the Netherlands State Railways could do it, I don't see why not) there is still another problem which Sunderland Corporation must face. And this is the unfortunate fact that it is not master of its own house. Sunderland is just one of many towns (though a rather glaring example) where expansion of town boundaries has led to serious rivalry between the town's own municipal bus system. and the " resident" company bus operator.
Several of the new estates in Sunderland are served by joint municipal and company bus services, and whilst
Northernpossesses a large number single-deck buses. I am not aware of a solitary one-man operated bus service being run by the company. I hope this is a hurdle which will not prove insurmountable.
Plans of the proposed single-decker for Sunderland are reproduced opposite. It will be seen that the bus is a 36 ft. by 8 ft. 21in, machine seating 48 passengers, with room for 18 standees, making a total complement of 66 passengers. Whilst the largest double-deckers at present in service in Sunderland seat 77. and carry live standing (total complement 82), the majority of the town's double-deckers are 63-seaters plus eight standing. Mr. Morton claims that 66-passenger buses would be adequate for most services, the busiest routes being catered for by a slight increase in duplication during peak.
Personally I feel that a bus with maximum seating (and this applies to the proposed Sunderland vehicle, even allowing for the wide entrance and exit) should never be confused with a "standee" bus. A bus designed to carry more than 10 standing passengers should make some sacrifice of seating, space to improve circulation.
I have sketched an alternative seating layout in which six seats are sacrificed. with a wide standing space opposite the exit. Not only will this encourage the majority of people to stand in the forward half of the vehicle, therefore easing congestion where there is a two-way flow, but standing capacity can be increased by at least 12. an overall increase of six passengers. bringing the buses up to the capacity of the majority of units at present employed_ believe a very reasonable standard of comfort can be provided in a 42-sea00 standing vehicle, the standing space only being required for short periods of the day anyway. Perhaps buses of the 48 seats/18 standing breed could be employed on routes with coritinuously
heavy loading if the department is worried about discouraging off-peak passengers, though the standing distances are fairly short in any case. Whatever is decided, it will be all eyes to Sunderland for the future.