POLITICAL ACTION IN UPMINSTER SERVICES CASE.
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IT was stated at a protest meeting,
held, at Hornchurch, last Friday, in connection with the Minister of Transport's decision to revoke the licences of Upminster Services, Ltd., for the Aldgate-Upminster route, that Mr. George Lansbury and the Socialist Party were to take up the matter in the House of Commons.
As reported in our issues dated February 10 and 17, a great public outcry has been caused as a result of the Minister's decision, whilst a rule nisi has been granted in the High Court calling upon him to show cause why the Order should not be quashed.
AMENDED SCHEME FOR CARDIFF BUS STATION.
EFFORTS are being made to amend Cardiff Corporation's scheme for establishing a central bus station, so as to reduce the estimated capital expenditure.
A deputation from the municipality has met representatives of the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd., and the company has intimated that, in its view, operators would he unable to meet the maintenance charges, etc. The W.W.O. Co. is, however, willing to contribute a fair share to the revenue. It is contended that accommodation for 60-70 buses, as planned, is unnecessary. Under the existing scheme, several streets are to be demolished.
EXCURSIONS TO BRIGHTON: CONFLICTING RULINGS.
THE Metropolitan Traffic Commis sioner, last week, refused to allow a Leyton concern to run additional excursions from Leyton to Brighton, during the summer. Mr. Gleason Robertson, the Commissioner, said that, in view of the expense that the Southern Railway had incurred in electrifying the Brighton line, he thought that it was unfair to increase road services.
On the previous day, the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners licensed W. Pike, Ltd., to run increased excursions to Brighton, despite opposition from the Southern Railway Co.
L.M.S. TO SEEK TO RUN BUSES.
MANCHESTER taxicab owners are to offer strong opposition to an applicatitn made by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway co. to the Traffic Commissioners for sanction to run regular bus services between the Manchester
• Central Station and all other railway termini in the city. Six months ago, the Manchester and Salford Owner Drivers' Association unsuccessfully fought the railway's proposal to work buses in conjunction -with late night and early morning trains.
BRIGHTON STAND DISPUTE REOPENED: NEW SCHEME.
THE controversy in connection with coach stands on Brighton front was reopened last week when a joint scheme was put forward to the South Eastern Commissioners by Mr. B. R. Roberts, on behalf of 12 local coach operators, and when the chief constable outlined another plan. Ultimately, the latter arrangement was accepted by the Commissioners. It provides for the formation of a special rank, near the Aquarium steps, for B40 vehicles which are not entitled to stand amongst the 30 allowed on the coach parks, in the mornings. In the afternoons, the special rank would be abolished.
It was stated that one of the chief constable's objects was to be as fair as possible to small operators, and it was held that the scheme would assist booking, as well as getting away.
ANOTHER LICENCE TRANSFER, THE Eastern Traffic Commissioners have granted an application from Mr. Parker, proprietor of Reliance Coaches, Cottenham, for the transfer of all his stage-carriage licences to Mr. P. Wheatley, operator of the Cambridge Comfort Coaches.
NEW £5,000 BUS CENTRE.
WORK started, last Monday, at Lochgolly, Scotland, on the construction of a new £5,000 centre for Fife bus services..
NEW JOINT TRANSPORT BOARD.
BT.JRNLEY has accepted the report of
a panel of experts set up to inquire into the desirability of establishing a joint transport board for Burnley, Nelson and Colne. It is hoped that the scheme will come into operation on April 1.
L.G.O.C. ORDERS 500 TICKET MACHINES.
AFTER having tested out 100 T.I.M. ticket-issuing machines, the London General Omnibus Co.; Ltd., has placed an order for a further 500 of these devices.
BUS PIONEER DEAD.
THE death has occurred, at the age of 70, of Mr. James Sutherland, of Peterhead, a pioneer Scottish bus operator. He was proprietor of Sutherland's Bus Services.
CHESTER TO RETAIN SYSTEM.
THE general-purposes committee of Chester Corporation has considered the financial position of the transport undertaking and has decided that no steps be taken to transfer it to any other road-transport organization.
CO-ORDINATING COMPETING SERVICES.
THE transport manager of Barrow in-Furness Corporation has reported on a meeting which, at the request of the Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., he attended at Preston, along with a representativs of the Grange Motor and Cycle Co., Ltd,, when the question of co-ordinating the Grange services on all routes cu which they are operating in opposition to the Ribble and corpora tion serviees, was discussed. Before making any suggestion to the council, further discussion with the parties is to be held.
LIMIT ON " ANYWHERE" TICKET CONCESSIONS?
THE chairman of the Southern Scot land Traffic Commissioners, Mr. A. Henderson, remarked recently that whilst the Commissioners did not wish to interfere with the facilities granted in connection with "anywhere" tickets, they intended to be careful about granting further concessions for these tickets. CREDIT BALANCE DESPITE REDUCED REVENUE.
THE transport committee of Wolver hampton Corporation reports that last year witnessed the final payment of the old tramways debt, when it was hoped that some further fare concession could be granted to the public. In the meantime however, in spite of reduced costs, the decline in revenue, due to trade depression and to a big increase in the cost of petrol, had more than counter-balanced the relief experienced by the final payment of this debt.
The Salter Report left considerable doubt as to whether heavy additional taxation might be imposed on the undertaking. From statements recently made in Parliament, the committee is acting on the assumption that any additional taxation imposed as a result of the Salter Report will not apply to public service vehicles.
Despite the falling-off in the number of passengers carried, reduced working costs have resulted in a credit balance on each year's working. The committee recommends that, so soon as practicable, the transport manager be authorized to Introduce id. stages on the transport system, but it must be kept selfsupporting.
LEEDS ESTIMATES GROSS PROFIT OF £250,000.
A GROSS profit of £253,670 and a net
surplus of £28,500 on the working of Leeds Corporation's transport department, during the financial year ending March next, were shown in the estimates presented, last Friday, to the tramway committee. The net surplus is £900 less than originally estimated. For the next financial year, a net surplus of £28,940 is anticipated.
It is expected that, during 1933-34, the municipal buses will show a profit, instead of a loss, for the first time.
MOVE FOR BUS STATIONS.
THE Western Valleys of Monmouth
shire Omnibus Board—a body comprised of urban district council representatives who act as "guardians" of the public in bus matters—has decided to confer with bus companies and the South Wales Commissioners on the question of providing bus stations and shelters throughout the area.
SUNDERLAND'S ESTIMATES.
A GROSS profit of £2,600, which is
£4,477 less than last year, is estimated on Sunderland Corporation's bus undertaking for the year ending March 31. Revenue is estimated at 132,500 and expenditure at 129,900. Petrol is estimated to cost £6,200, against £4,644 last year.
RAIL ALLEGATION AGAINST SOUTH WALES COMMISSIONERS.
WHEN an appeal by the Great Western Railway Co. against the South Wales Traffic Commissioners' decision to grant a licence to Gough's Welsh Motorways, Ltd., for a Newport-Aberdare service was heard, it was submitted, on behalf of the railway company, that the Commissioners had not acted on the evidence before them, but on their own personal knowledge. It was maintained that the Minister of Transport should give some intimation as to the scope of private opinion which could be brought into the hearing of licence applications. GLENTON TOURS FOR 1933.
A SERIES of attractive tours has
been arranged for the forthcoming season by Glenton Tours, Ltd., 401, Queen's Road, London, S.E.14. The schedule includes seven-day tours to Devon, North Wales, South Wales, the Lake District, Cornwall and'Derbyshire and Yorkshire, each costing £8 88., whilst a 12-day tour to Scotland is priced at £16 16s. There are also threeday tours to the south coast, the Norfolk Broads and Cromer, and to the cathedral towns of Wells, Winchester and Salisbury, each costing £3 12s.
Glenton Tours, Ltd., has made arrangements for two special Germaii tours of nine days' duration.
31.1LC.S.A. AND L.P.T. BILL. FURTHER steps are being taken by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association to oppose the London Passenger Transport Bill in the House of Lords. We understand that a private meeting was held on Monday last to decide the form, that the opposition should take.