Operating
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Aspects of
PASSENGER TRANSPORT
BUS-SERVICE INQUIRY AT STOKE
r-IN March 7 and 8, war-time bus L./services in North Staffordshire will form the subject of a conference, which the Midland Regional Transport Commissioner will hold at Stoke. The services have been the cause of certain complaints, and representations by Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle Corporationa will be heard, as well as the views of bus operators. Sir Arnold Musto,
C.I.E., M.Inst.C.E., has been appointed the Commissioner for the purpose, and he will be supported by Mr. J. H. Stirk, M.Inst.T., recently acting Transport Commissioner for the Midland Region.
NVhen complaints were first made about the inadequate bus services, the matter was raised in the House of Commons, and an assurance was given that bus operators in the area woula receive an increased fuel supply, So that a speedy improvement in the services might be anticipated. Complaints still continue to be received from the travelling public, however, and these have resulted in the decision to hold the inquiry.
DUNDEE TO TRY OUT PRODUCER GAS
AUTHORITY has been given to Mr. Robert Taylor general manager of Dundee Transport Department, to spend up to £200. in converting one of the municipal buses to producer gas, for test purposes. Mr. Taylor remarked that the producer-gas bus would be employed on special runs, because such a vehicle was not as suitable for scheduled running as existing types.
UNION ANSWERS ATTACKS ON GLASGOW BUSMEN
LACK of foresight on the part of the transport department of Glasgow Corporation, in presuming that pre-war running schedules would be adequate for black-out conditions, is vigorously attacked by the Glasgow District Committee of the Transport and General Workers' Union in a staterrent in reply to critics who alleged t'hat the bus and tram drivers and conductors had been inefficient.
In a strong repudiation of the attacks recently made through the Press on the city's transport workers, the committee characterizes them as completely unjustifiable and unfounded.
The members of the Union Committee make the charge that the buses are not maintained in a satisfactory condition to render efficient service, and claim that this statement is proved by the number of times the maintenance staff is called on breakdowns.
If schedules had been revised immediately on the outbreak of war there would have been no complaints about buses and trams running in convoy, the committee states. Add to this long spells of duty—ill many cases without tea relief—late running, abnormal overcrowding, inadequate vehicle and depot staffs, and it will be readily understood that these conditions took a heavy toll on the transport workers' health.
The members have conscientiously endeavoured to p6rform their duties in spite of these most 'adverse circumstances, the statement concludes.
At a meeting of Progressive members of the corporation, the Lord Provost, Councillor P. J. Dollan, in answer to questions, said that, if the Union had complaints to make against the management, an official communication should be sent to the transport committee. There would be no end to confusion if he were to allow members to put questions on everything that appeared in the Press, These criticisms of Glasgow's services were rebutted by Mr. Robert F. Smith, general manager of the transport department, in a report which was considered and adopted by the transport committee on Monday last. Further reference to this will be made in our next issue.
ANOTHER HULL TRAM RCUTE ABANWNED
TRAMS on the Holderness Road route, at Hull, were replaced by trolleybuses on Sunday last. The 'service will, we learn, be operated by
Leyland and Crossley vehicles. This latest development forms part of a big change-over scheme to replace trams.
GLASGOW'S EXPERIMENT WITH NEW BUS HEATER
rOLLOWING a . desire expressed by the manager of Glasgow Transport Department to experiment with a new type of heater manufactured for motorbuses, by Anemostat, Ltd., the transport committee has authorized the installation of the new heater at an estimated cost of 210 per vehicle on 20 double-deck bus bodies, which are under construction at the Wishaw works of R. Y. Pickering and Co„ Ltd.
CABS IN GREATER DEMAND lk SORE demands than ever for taxis IVIis the result reported at Plymouth of black-out and war-time conditions. Mr. C. F. M. Falla, traffic manager of the Lexical) Hire Service, who operate a fleet of 38 cabs, says that the firm would double the number if sufficient petrol were available. The demand for this form of transport is increasing, notwithstanding the fact that it has been necessary to increase the charge to passengers by 50 per cent.—from 8d. to ls. a mile—and the firm is ekeing out its Petrol allowance by stringing jobs together where possible.
VEXED CREOSOTE ISSUE AT SOUTHPORT
WITH a view to restoring cut bus VV services, Southport Corporation would like to use creosote to mix with oil fuel. By doing so, however, it is anxious not to jeopardize its ration of the latter, A complication arises through the tar produced at its own gas works, having been contracted for by an independent company which refine:i it. As a result, the corporation may not, on legal grounds, use for fuel in its buses the creosote thus made available, although it originates from its own gas works. The responsibility for the difficulty is laid by Councillor Mackley, chairman of the transport committee, with the Minister of Mines, and Southport hesitates to embark on a project which would enhance its passenger services. because it cannot get a definite ruling as to the future attitude of the Government regarding creosote.
In Rochdale. according to Councillor Barker, of Southport, a mixture of 29 per cent, creosote and 80 per cent, oil fuel is used and, by this means, the bus services there have been increased from 77 per cent. to 94 per cent. The former fuel is obtained from Rochdale gas works at the rate of 1,009 gallons a week, costing 7d. a gallon LIVERPOOL FACING REDUCED SURPLUS ON BUSES
TWELVE months ago, a surplus of 1 £135,000 was budgeted for on the operations of Liverpool Transport Department, but a decline of more than £112,000 is anticipated, so that the ultimate surplus may not exceed £23,000 at the end of March next. War' conditions are responsible for the decline. Estimates for the following year, if present fares remain, suggest a probable deficit in March, 1941, of nearly £117,000. So far as buses are concerned, income for the present year is expected to be about £30,0Q0 below the estimated revenue of Z323,000. At the end of next month, the surplus on the buses will be about £26,000, the estimated figure having been over 241,000.
NOTTINGHAM BUS FARES LIKELY TO RISE
(IN Thursday last, Nottingham City L./Council was due to discuss two reports dealing with fares on the municipal buses. The transport depart. ment is faced with a higher expenditure of £30,000 a year, and it seems certain that fares will have to be raised. The manager of the undertaking prepared two reports, which differ, not so much in essentials, as in policy. It is generally agreed that, to prevent the passenger-transport undertaking becoming a charge on the rates, fares will have to be raised. When the council has adopted proposals, they will go before the East Midland Trelic Commissioner, who will submit his recommendations to the Ministry of Transport.