LATEST NEWS FROM THE TRAFFIC AREAS
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VALUABLE WORK BY OILERS AT CARDIFF.
INTERESTING figures concerning the operation of oil-engined buses were contained in a report presented, on March 17, by MT. William Forbes, the manager, to Cardiff Transport Committee.
Two identical double-deckers were run, one using petrol and the other oil fuel. The oiler ran 35,398 miles at a fuel cost of E73 15s. (0.48d. per busmile), whereas the petrol-engined vehicle, although of lower horse-power, covered 35,398 miles at a fuel cost of 2.35d. per bus-mile. The oiler effected a saving of £283 in fuel cost. As doubledeckers ran an average of 40,000 miles a year, an economy of £320 in fuel cost per bus would result from the use of compression-ignition engines.
Another experiment with another type of oil-engined bus resulted in 12,916 miles being run at a cost of 0.43d. per bus-mile, as against 2.39d. for a petrol vehicle.
Members of the committee thought that in view of the possibility of oil production in this country, and the improbability of a tax on the home product, the experiments should continue B40 and authorized Mr. Forbes to obtain two other types of oil engine that had been offered, on what were, we understand, favourable terms.
HULL TO ISSUE SPECIAL TICKETS.
HTJLL Corporation's transport mana ger has been authorized to issue, from April 9 to October 7, 6th tickets to be available on any tram or bus between 4.30 p.m. and the close of the ordinary services. On Sundays, is. tickets will be available all day.
CONVICTION QUASHED: OFFENCE NOT SPECIFIED.
ON Monday last, a King's Bench Divisional Court granted a rule nisi for a writ of certiorari, calling upon the Ashton-under-Lyne justices to bring up the conviction of Mr. J. M. Griffiths, a bus driver, so that it may be quashed. Griffiths was convicted of driving a motor at 40 m.p.h., but it was held that this was not an offence known to law. It was maintained that the offence was not specified in the summons. The term " motor " was explained to include vehicles to which no speed limit applied. SPECIAL LICENCE FOR EXCURSIONS AND TOURS.
TWO conferences of coach operators were held, last week, to discuss the operation of excursions and tours. Mr. C. Tilden Smith, clerk to the Southern Traffic Commissioners, explained the plan, reported in last week's issue, to grant a special licence to cover all prebooked-party work, where people are carried for separate payment.
Mr. Tilden Smith mentioned that a special traffic inspector would beappointed to investigate the unlicensed operation of private cars as stage carriages.
Both meetings agreed to the principle of the proposed licences.
At a sitting of the Southern Traffic Commissioners, Mr. Tilden Smith explained certain misunderstandings of the Road Traffic Act. He pointed out that the Act did not make a special occasion particular to a private party. Further, a contract carriage was not a vehicle hired as a whole, but one carrying the passengers under such an arrangement. Sir Reginald Ford, the chairman, stated that before Easter a form of application to cover this clams of work would be circulated. M.H.C.S.A. AN") REDUCED RAIL FARES.
TIIE reduction of railway fares was discussed at a private meeting held by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, in London, on Tuesday, when operators from many parts of the country were present.
It was pointed out that, whilst the railways have extended immeasurably their cheap-fare facilities, coach operators were bound by schedule and have, in some cases, been refused permission to alter their fares to meet railway competition. The operators visualized their elimination unless they could show the railways that they intended to fight any endeavour to deprive them of pnblie custom by means of uneconomic railway rates introduced solely to negative the possibilities of road transport in offering a cheaper form of transport.
Steps are to be taken to bring the matter to the attention of the authorities, and another meeting is to be held shortly.
At a special meeting of the directors of Yorkshire Coach Owners, Ltd, last Friday, it was decided to defer a decision on action regarding the railway fare reductions, pending the result of the M.H.C.S.A. meeting.
UNDERGRADUATE ROADWAYS • SEEKS LICENCE.
IN last week's issue we announced the formation, by 10 Cambridge undergraduates', of a coaching company with the title of Undergraduate Roadways. Application has now been made to the Eastern Traffic Commissioners for permission to run services from Cambridge to Skegness, on Sundays, from April 16 to June 14, and on certain other days. The Commissioners deferred their decision.
NEW LOST PROPERTY REGULATIONS.
ON April 1, new regulations will replace the existing Public Service Vehicles (Lost Property) Provisional Regulations, of May, 21, 1931. The maximum fee payable for the return of lost property has been reduced from is. to 3d. In the case of property valued at over 2s. and up to £24, the conductor will receive 1/12 of the value, whilst for goods valued at over 124 the award will be £2.
A SECOND CHANCE.
ON the appeal of Mr. J. McInally, of
Johnstone, Renfrew-shire, the Minister of Transport has decided that the Southern Scotland Traffic Commissioners should give the operator another opportunity for showing that he is capable of operating vehicles with proper regard to the public and to the law. He is to be granted a two-hourly service.
L.G.O.C. REBUKED BY METROPOLITAN COMMISSIONER.
A LICENCE for what was said by the
London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., to be a service catering only for private parties on special occasions, was refused, last week., by Mr. Gleason Robinson, the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner. The application was for a licence for an excursion from Charing Cross to King George V Sanatorium, Milford, Surrey, on Sundays and holidays, which had been operated for three years. A lump sum was paid by patients who wished their friends to visit them.
The Commissioner dismissed the application on the ground that there was no need for the service, and disagreed with the suggestion that it was contract work. He said that there was 110 excuse for the company being ignorant of the provisions of the Road Traffic Act.
Application to the South-Eastern Commissioners for a backing was made last Tuesday. At the time of closing for press, the action to be taken by the company is still under discussion.
MR. STIRK AND COALVILLE. WE stated in last week's issue that a dispute had arisen between Mr. J. H. &irk, chairman of the East Midland Traffic Commissioners, and Coalville Urban District Council. Mr. Stirk has now offered to hold a sitting in that district. An application by the Birm ingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., to increase fares on routes into Coalville has been adjourned so that the municipality may be represented at the hearing.
TICKETS BY INSTALMENTS. IT is reported that United Automobile Services, Ltd., has inaugurated a scheme whereby tickets may be purchased on the instalment plan, and that it is proposed to form a holiday club.
CENTENARY OF STEAM BUS. APRIL 22 will be the centenary of the inauguration of the first steambus service in London. In 1833, Walter Hancock, in association with the London and Paddington Steam Bus Co., inaugurated the service from Paddington to Moorgate, having commenced experiments with the machine in 1824. It ran for only 16 days, when it was withdrawn following differences between the inventor and the company. Later, Hancock ran four or five steam buses on his own account.
Mr. C. F. Klapper, secretary of the Omnibus Society, informs us that it is proposed to hold a meeting on April 21, when an historical paper will be read and, possibly, a tour of the route made.
P.S.V. OPERATORS TO EXPLAIN. ON March 29, at 6.30 p.m., P.S.V. Operators, Ltd., is to hold a meeting at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street, London, E.0.4, to explain the methods of the organization. All operators are Invited to attend. CONTRACT OPERATION APPEAL WON IN THE HIGH COURTS.
THE Justiciary Appeal' Court, con sisting of Lords Hunter, Anderson and Murray, last week upheld an appeal of Mr. D. M'Dougall and Mr. J. Carruthers, who had been convicted of the illegal running of a vehicle as an express carriage.
It was stated that Mr. M'Dougall organized a party consisting of his friends and acquaintances or their friends, to visit the Blackpool illuminations, and hired a vehicle from Mr. Carruthers. The journey was not advertised. Sheriff-substitute Brand held that the coach was used as an express carriage, not conveying a private party on a special occasion.
Lord Anderson said that this was clearly a special occasion and a private party. Lord Murray remarked that, in his view, persons need not have a Community of interests, other than a common desire to view the illuminations, in order to constitute a private party.
L.M.S. BUSES TO MEET EXCURSIONS.
TIIE Lcndon, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. is to run services in Leicestershire to link up villages with excursions to London, and licences have been granted by the East Midland Traffic Commissioners. It is believed that the railways will make similar applications in respect of services throughout the country. One of the objects of the project is to provide services to meet excursions that arrive after the normal buses have ceased work. The licence was sought -by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., which would be paid by the L.M.S.
YORKSHIRE OPERATORS VISIT DUPLE'S.
ON Monday last over 30 members of Yorkshire Motor Coach Owners Association visited the works of Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., The Hyde, Hendon, London, N.W.9. Some 15 to 20 finished coaches, and between 50 nod 60 vehicles in various stages of construction, were inspected.
Arrangements were made for a new coach, operated by Mr. C. W. &infield, of London, to meet the train from Leeds, which was specially stopped at Hendon L.M.S. Station.
CARDIFF'S MODIFIED SCHEME.
A MODIFIED bus-station scheme,
under which the annual expenditure would he reduced from 17,000 to £4,000 a year, has been put forward by Cardiff Corporation to the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd. It is stated that the company still considers, however, that the expenditure is too high.
LOSSES ON NEWPORT TRAMS AND BUSES.
NEWPORT (Mon.) Corporation's electricity and tramways committee has been supplied with estimates of the income and expenditure in connection with the electricity and transport undertakings for the year ending March 31, 3934. The revised estimate for the year ending March 31, 1933, showed that the losses on tramways and buses respectively were 112.539 and E7.369. For 1933-34, the corresponding figures are estimated at £4,614 and £7,494. RAILWAYS TO OPPOSE COACH FARES.
ON March 31, the East Midland Traffic Commissioners will hold a public inquiry at the Guildhall, Nottingham, to hear objections by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co., and the London and North Eastern Railway ,Co., against certain of the proposed fares for excursions and tours, listed in the supplement to Gazette 103.
Presumably, the railways lodged their objection before they reduced their fares. As reported in last week's issue, Mr. J. H. Stirk stated that they had no right to object to coach fares.
NO. 6 COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER COACH AND RAIL FARES. ON Monday next, March 27, a meeting of No. 6 (East) Regional Committee will be held at Ipswich Town Hall. Amongst the matters to be dealt with are the important subjects of road and , rail fares, excursion fares between points served by express carriages, and a meeting with railway representatives.
DANGER TO BUSES ALLEGED AS RESULT OF G.W.R. ACTION.
A BURRY PORT operator, Mr. J. M.
Dacus, who is a member of Burry Port Urban District Council, complained to the March meeting of the council that the Great Western Railway Co. bad raised the roadway over the Barry Port Gorse Bridge, to the danger of buses.
He had communicated with the Ministry of Transport on the matter and had decided to apply to the South Wales Commissioners for sanction to divert his Burry Port-Pembrey buses to Stepney Road. The council decided to back the complaints.
PROPOSED FARES FOR LONGDISTANCE SERVICES. GAZETTE 95 of the Southern Traffic Commissioners contains a list of proposed fares recommended for inanguration. on April 1 next, for the routes from London to Manchester, via Oxford. and Birmingham, London to Liverpool, via Whitchurch, London to Liverpool, via Oxford and Crewe, and London to Birmingham, via Aylesbury.
TORQUAY RATEPAYERS AGAINST TROLLEY-BUSES.
A. POLL by postcard of the ratepayers
has been taken by Torquay Corporation on questions of the future of transport in the town. The postcard contained two question :—(1) Are you in favour of trolley-buses? (2) Are you in favour of the corporation purchasing the trams?
Of 22,490 postcards sent out, 14,588 were returned. A large majority of the ratepayers said " No " to both questions. NEW COMPANY TO TAKE OVER MADRID TRANSPORT.
WE learn that a new company, in which the Madrid municipal-council and the Madrid Tramways Co. are both financially interested, is being formed to take over the existing trams and buses, and to establish new services that may be required.
The terms on which the assets of the old tramways undertaking are being taken over provide that it shall receive interest on its invested capital at rates varying between 44per cent. and 10 per cent. proportionate to the annual receipts being between 18,000,000 pesetas and 24,000,000 pesetas per annum.
L.P.T. BILL HOLDS UP LICENCE.
THE Universal Coach Co., of Totten ham, London, N., which has been seeking permission to operate a new bus service from lElarringay to Stamford Hill, through St. Ann's Road, has been informed that no licence for the route would be granted until the London Traffic Bill had been dealt with by Parliament.
WALLACE ARNOLD TOURS FOR NEXT SEASON.
AN attractive programme of tours for the summer season has been drawn up by Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., 59, Corn Exchange, Leeds. Regular series of tours are to be run from Leeds to the north and south, but the tours from London will be mainly to Scotland, with a nine days' tour, departing from the Metropolis every Friday.
A special feature of the company's arrangements is that patrons have the option of travelling by either road or rail to Leeds, the fare in either case being the same, including meals. At Leeds, passengers are met and con veyed to an hotel for the night, the coach calling for them on the following morning.
A well-produced book gives details of these attractive tours.