Passenger Transport News
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44-HOUR WEEK FOR MUNICIPAL , WORKERS?
'1"1-1E Joint Industrial Council for the I. road passenger transport industry has recommended that municipal transport undertakings in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should adopt the 44-hour week. A two-day meeting of the council was held last week at which certain proposals in connection with Sunday pay were also approved. _ Thp problem of spread-over duties is being examined and the council will meet again early next month.
CORPORATION AND COMPANY MAKE CO-OPERATIVE PLAN A S a result of Newcastle-on-Tyne City Council's obtaining powers to run trolleybuses into Gateshead over the High Level and Tyne Bridges, a new through-running agreement has been reached between the council and Gatesheadand District Tramways Co., Ltd. The .agreement, which is for 10 years, stipulates, among other things, that the mileage operated by each party on through routes should be equal, otherwise' there should be financial adjustment.
The Gateshead company has recently ordered 83 trolleybuses to convert its tram system.
NO MORE TRAMS FOR SUNDERLAND
QUNDERLAND Transport CommitOtee has approved in principle a report by Mr. C. A. Hopkins, transport manager, in which he recommended that.no further extensions of the tramways should.take place after the completion of that already planned in Durham Road. Mr. Hopkins found no reason for abandoning the trams, but, if this were decided upon, he recommended that motorbuses rather than trolleybuses, should be used.
The cost of converting to motorbuses would be £714,000, including 184 buses at £3,500 each; reinstating roads and removing wires would cost £70,000. Installation of a trolleybus system would require £880,000, including 154 buses at £5,000 each, overhead wires and ' gear at £50,000, and reinstatement of the roadways £60,000.
Mr. Hopkins suggested that fares in Sunderland were too low, and if thesz were adjusted a powerful financial reserve could be built up, which would largely remove the need for borrowing money for the change-over. The undertaking is free from debt, On Mr. Hopkins's proposal, the transport committee has decided to convert certain tram routes to bus operation when vehicles are available.
MORRIS-COMMERCIAL BUSES FOR BERMUDA
THE first of an order for 20 Morris1 Commercial forward control 24seater buses was recently shipped to Bermuda. The vehicles are being supplied to the Bermudan Government and will replace an existing train service and second-hand buses.
The order was secured in the face of keen competition by Pearman, Watlington and Co., distributor in Bermuda for Nuffield Exports, Ltd.
MORE UNIFORMITY IN TAXI LICENSING NEEDED
ORGAN1ZED to increase interest in the car-hire and taxi section of the Association, a meeting of the Nottingham branch of the Passenger Vehicle Operators Association was recently held.
Mr, F. A: Walker, national secretary, said that the P.V.O.A. was pressing for the abolition of petrol rationing, the removal of restrictions on radius of operation, reinstatement of vehicles, and a reduction in motor taxation. Referring to the issue of licences for hackney carriages, he said that greater uniformity on the part of local authorities was urgently needed.
CANCEL LAST ORDER"
AAOTORBUS and trolleybus fares in 'VI Nottingham are to remain unchanged. The transport committee has agreed to postpone its application to increase them. No reason has been given.
The transport department has been granted permission to run 8-ft.-wide buses. The East Midland Licensing Authority has approved 185 streets in the city as suitable for these vehicles.
LONDON WORKERS CLAIM SHORTER WEEK
TN November, the TranspOrt and 'General Workers' Union outlined to London Transport a seven-point claim, including a demand for a reduced working week and a common agreement for . all sections of the operating staff on road _transport services. Detailed consideration was involved.
On December 18 the Board disagreed with the application in the form submitted. Further meetings were held on January 15 and 18, but no settlement has yet been reached, and a further meeting is imminent.
R A MSBOTTOM REMEMBERS THE RATEPAYERS PROPOSALS to take money out of the transport undertaking, in view of probable absorption in the nationalization scheme, were approved at a meeting of Ramsboitom Urban District Council last week.
By eight votes to three the council decided that £7.300 be carried from traction revenue account to general rates; that £1,300 provided for deferred repairs be transferred from bus reserve to bus revenue account to meet expenditure incurred, and that the cost of a bus be met from reserve. Investments totalling £5.800 are also to be transferred to the general rates from bus reserve and transition revenue account.
1250,000 MODERNIZATION PLAN FOR ABERDEEN
HE general manager of Aberdeen Transport Department, Mr. Alfred Smith, has submitted a scheme to the town council for modernizing the city's transport system. Total cost will be at least £250,000.
He proposes that the Mannofield section of the tramways be converted to bus operation. Other tram routes will be brought up to date and new rolling stock introduced. Existing bus routes will be extended in some cases, arid. new services started to serve housing schemes now under development. Mr. Smith does not favour introducing a. trolleybus system to the city.
BETTER SERVICES AROUND EXETER
EARLY improvement in passenger transport in and around Exeter is expected to result from the agreement to co-ordinate the services of Exeter's municipal transport undertaking and those of the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd. • The first meeting of the joint committee of those two bodies was held on January 16, and at its close an official agreed statement was made by the town clerk (Mr. C. J. Newman) and Mr. R. G. James, general manager of the Devon General company. The co-ordinated area, it was explained, stretches fronl Silverton, in the north,' to Exinout1iand Starcross, in the south, and from Great Haldon, in the west, to Rockbeare and West Hill, in the east. Under the agreement, it was said: the corporation and the company will be jointly responsible for the development of road transport in this area. Early application is being made to the Western Licensing Authority for the necessary consents and licences.
The joint committee has elected the Mayor as its first chairman. Mr. J. S. Wills is vice-chairman, and the town clerk of Exeter is secretary.
The arrangement under which priority in boarding buses was granted to certain persons was discontinued in the South Wales Area from January 15. 500 NEW BUSES FOR LONDON: "EIGHT-FOOTERS" COMING
ONDON TRANSPORT will shortly 11-4 place in service the first of 500 new buses, Which will be the standard for Ell future vehicles. "The new bus will be of a type far in advance of any bus used in this country or in any part of the world," said Mr. J. H. Brebner, chief public relations and publicity officer, on Monday. Negotiations are being carried out with the Metropolitan Licensing Authority regarding the extent to which buses 8 ft. wide may be introduced into the central area, as well as in the outer areas of Londol
TOO NEAR THE CROWN
AT Tunbridge Wells, a driver employed by Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., was fined 10s. for failing, when stopping to pick up or set down passengers, to draw as close as pos,ible to the near side of the road. Pleading not guilty, the man said that visibility was bad and he did not realize that his Vehicle was so far from the roadside..
. 137 MEN DISMISSED
LEIGH Corporation has decided to dismiss137 drivers and conductors who failed to report for duty on Christmas Day. The men have been offered re-engagement, provided that they applied individually to the general manager during the period of seven days' notice.
OMNIBUS SOCIETY CHAIRMAN
A T the recent annual general meeting of the Ornhibus Society, presided over by Mr. S. E Garcke,.C.B.E., Mr. Charles E. Lee retired from the chairmanship after 17 years and was elected a vice-president. The new chairman is Mr. C. F. Klapper, who is succeeded as honorary secretary by Mr. 1. F. Parke, 108, Northwick Avenue, Harrow.