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Cheap Fare Policy Continues to Pay Northern General

24th April 1959, Page 47
24th April 1959
Page 47
Page 47, 24th April 1959 — Cheap Fare Policy Continues to Pay Northern General
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

FEWER fare increases have been sought by the Northern General Trans

port Co., Ltd., than by most other undertakings, said Mr. W. T. James, chairman, at the company's annual meeting last week. The lid. fare, which had long ceased to exist in most parts of the country, still featured in the company's fare tables. The group owed much of their success to a well policy of cheap fares, a Policy which it hoped to 'maintain.

With the Budget reduction of Excise duty a saving of some £45,000. on the year Would be made by the group, which would help to stabilize fares and go some way towards meeting the cost of increased wages, said Mr. James.

From 271,000,000 in 1956, the number of passengers carried dropped to 261,000,000 in 1958. Nevertheless, well over twice the number -of passengers were being carried now than before the war.

Just as the group had had to expand rapidly, from 1945 onwards, to meet the increasing demand for bus services, so now it would have to contract slightly if the fall in traffic continued. However, future prospects were sound, provided that passengers Continued to receive good and courteous service and fares were kept attractive.

Too many local authorities had become infected by the "bus station bug," remarked Mr. James. Often it Was said that there was need for a bus station on the ground that it would remove a cause of street congestion.

Frequently it was found that when a bus station had been built congestion was notrelieveci, because the space previously Occupied by buses was used for car parking. The most efficient way to run buses was to pick up and set down passengers where they wanted to be. .

• It was quite wrong to. insist that bus station costs, over which the operator might have no control, should be added to his costs of operation and passed on to the public in the-form of higher fares.

Once again in the 'field of extended tours Northern General had had a record year. More tours than ever before were operated. Since 1947 traffic had increased by more than 500 per cent.

DUSTLESS COLLECTION FOR BIRMINGHAM I N a report to Birmingham City Council,

last week, the Salvage Department gave an estimate of the extra cost of dustless collection based on-the results of the pilot scheme which has now been in operation for three months.

It is hoped to introduce dustless collection in all districts of the city within 10 years. In the first year, the extra cost would be between £45,450 and £49,050, and application to the entire city in the tenth year would involve an additional expenditure of £135,990 to £171,090.

According to the committee's report_ the advantages of the scheme to the householder and collection staff would more than outweigh the additional charges.

Tags

People: W. T. James
Locations: BIRMINGHAM

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