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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
RESTRICTED DUPLICATION: MINISTER'S POWERS THAT the Minister of Transport has exceeded his powers by attempting to restrict the duplication of long-distance services in all areas was a submission made to the-Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners at Leeds last Tuesday on behalf of London, Midland and Yorkshire Services, Doncaster, which applied for the renewal of licences for Doneaster-Halifax-Bradford4Aondon services.
It was argued that the Road Traffic Act gave the Commissioners discretion, because they were aware of the requiremeats of their own areas. There was a danger that an operator, if restricted as to duplication, would be unable to bring back all his passengers. By running additional trains during the season, the railways duplicated their own services.
The Commissioners reserved their decision.
LOWER FARES TO INCREASE REVENUE?
CARDIFF Transport Committee de
cided, on November 17, to obtain a report from the manager (Mr, William Forbes) on the prospect of reducing bus fares and introducing extra facilities, such fie weekly tickets.
It had been reported that in the current financial year tram revenue was down by £3,800, and the bus expenses, due to the higher price of petrol, had risen by £1,000, against an increased revenue of 070.
Members urged that lower bus fares would improve the finances of the undertaking. They also said that the issue of weekly tickets would help, as the public would not miss the weekly amount, as it did the lump sum for a monthly ticket. Mr. Forbes said his experience was not that reduced fares meant increased revenue.
The chairman said that loan charges were heavy on the department. It was stated by memberrthat when more oilengined buses were put into service the finances of the bus undertaking would show a big improvement.
FARES CONFLICT RESULT.
WHEN Messrs. A. E. Keeling and Sons, Leeds, asked the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, at Leeds, last Monday, for permission to modify their Leeds Scarborough and BradfordWhitby express services Mr. J. Keeling said that, unless all operators agreed on fares, one of his services might become , redundant, except at week-ends and holiday times.
They wished to run one coach instead of two from Leeds to Whitby, via Scarborough, when the demand was light. Bradford passengers for Whitby would change at Leeds and join the LeedsScarborough coach, which would proceed to Whitby from Scarborough. Mr. Keeling declared that the Leeds-Sear B40 borough stage service was affecting his firm's express service, as the fare was is. (id. cheaper. The Commissioners reserved their decision.
BRITISH BODIES FOR SPAIN.
DOUBLE-DECK bus bodies for the use of the Madrid transport authority are being built by Bromilow and Edwards, Ltd., Bolton. The vehicles have double roofs and extensive use is made of drop windows.
"TRENT" TAKES OVER.
11.1:W East Midland Traffic Commis
sioners have received from the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., an application for the transfer of the excursion and tours licence of Messrs. J. W. Taylor.
INQUIHY INTO UNDERCUTTING, AT Newcastle on Tuesday afternoon Sir John Maxwell, the chairman, announced that the Northern Commis sioners were to hold a public inquiry at the Guildhall, Newcastle, on December 32, into allegations that certain bus operators were undercutting fares.
MORE INDEPENDENTS TO JOIN LONDON TRANSPORT.
ACCORDING to a statement issued by London Transport on Tuesday, only 34 operators, owning about 145 vehicles, remained outside the Board. During the past three weeks, 21 undertakings have been transferred to London Transport, and it is expected that more will join the combine to-day (Friday).
TROLLEY-BUSES FOR DOVER?
LAST Tuesday, Dover Town Council decided to promote a Bill in Parliament to obtain power to run trolleybuses in place of the trams. The scheme is estimated to cost £85,000.
ANOTHER UA.S, MEAGER.
TT is officially announced that -Milted
Automobile Services, Ltd., is to take over Messrs. Ennis and Reed's bus service operating between Newcastle, Durham and Crook, and the Elms Service running from Willington to Crook.
Messrs. Ennis and Reed's system is old-established. REVISED STANDARD CONDITIONS NEXT WEEK.
ON and after December 1, revised standard conditions will be attached to licences and backlogs requiring renewal and to new licences and backings. The modified conditions have been framed as a result of a recent meeting of chairmen of the Traffic
CCommissioners.aU the h. Under coding of stage services is a provision to the effect that "the authorized service shall be limited to the period . . ." On stage services and express services (other than excursions and tours), return tickets shall be available for one outward and one inward journey, and not for two journeys in the same direction.
On express services and excursions and tours one ticket may be issued for two or more passengers, provided that there is shown on the face of the ticket the number of passengers for whom the ticket is issued and the fare paid in respect of each person.
SOUTHERN INQUIRY ON WORKMEN'S FARES.
WORKMEN'S tickets issued by the
City of Oxford Motor Services, Ltd., were the subject of an inquiry hem by the Southern Traffic Commissioners, at Oxford, last week. Six local trade and workers' organizations objected to a new system, under which the benefits of workmen's tickets could be obtained only by purchasing a return ticket before 8 a.m. This was alleged to involve financial hardship.
For the objectors it was explained that the company succeeded Oxford and District Tramways, Ltd., and, in 1914, an Act was passed giving the tramways company a monopoly of bus traffic in Oxford. The Act provided that workmen's tickets should be issued every morning and evening, not later than 8 a.m. and not earlier than 5 p.m., or at other convenient times. It was contended that the new arrangement was tantamount to a change in fares. It was suggested that bona-fide workmen should be issued with a special identification pass. The company contended that the old system had been abused and that conductors had difficulty in recognizing workmen. Sir Reginald Ford, chairman of the Commissioners, said that if they were still dissatisfied, the unions could complain to the Board of Trade. He recommended the parties to the dispute to meet to decide in detail methods of eliminating the present grievance.
BUSES FOR TRAMS IN WALES.
IT is anticipated that, by the end of "-next February, the Rhondda Tramways Co. will have completely substituted buses for trams in the Rhondda Valley. The first step in this direction may be taken early in January. FIRM'S LICENCES TRANSFERRED TO MUNICIPALITIES.
THE Burnley, Colne and Nelson Joint Transport Committee has been partially successful in its application for the transfer of the licences of Messrs. E. Laycoek and Sons, Cowling. The Commissioners have decided to permit the Committee to run services from Banioldswick to Earby, and from Earby to Skipton, but have refused applications in respect of two other routes.
Final consideration of the authority's application for a licence in respect of a Colne-Barnoldswick service has been deferred, pending the completion of the Barnoldswick-Kelbrook road.
LINCOLN AND GAS BUSES: OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
A STATEMENT appeared in a certain section of the daily Press, one day last week, to the effect that Lincoln Corporation's entire fleet of vehicles was to be operated on gas fuel. This information is, however, not
strictly accurate. Mr. George Rock, M.I.A.E., the transport manager, advises The Commercial Motor that, " whilst the matter has been under consideration for some time, no definite action has been decided upon, although a suitable and adequate gas-compressing plant, capable of dealing with a demand of any capacity, will be opened in Lincoln, in the very near future."
EASTERN COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER LOWER FARES.
AT their sitting at the Shirehall, Cam bridge, on December 7, at 10.39 a.m., the Eastern Traffic Commissioners will consider numerous applications for licences and backings in so far as they include modifications to fares in accordance with the recommendations of No. 6 Regional Fares Committee. The Committee is in favour of an all-round reduction in fares of about 10 per cent. As reported in last week's issue, an inquiry was held by the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, on November 14, into fares on services from London to East Anglia.
SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS?
WHEN the South-Eastern Traffic
Commissioners sit in London on November 28 they will hear an application from Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., for the variation of licence conditions to permit season tickets to be issued at special rates to bona-fide school teachers, on all the company's stage services. According to Gazette 129 of the Commissioners, Messrs. Dengate and Son will object.
1932 APPEAL UNDECIDED.
IT was decided by Cardiff's Chief Con
stable (Mr. X. A. Wilson, 0.B.E.), at the November meeting of Cardiff Watch Committee, that, although the corporation had appealed against the South Wales Commissioners' decision in the summer of 1932, the Minister had not yet dealt with it.
The chief constable advised that, in the event of the Commissioners, who have reserved their decision on the application, allowing the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd., and Rhondda Tramways Co., Ltd., to make their Cardiff ter. minus in Westgate Street, despite the police opposition before the Commissioners, Cardiff Corporation should appeal against such a decision. The bus companies, he said, had already intimated their intention to appeal in the event of the Commissioners deciding against them.
The 1932 appeal of the corporation was concerned with the same question.
The committee, on the grounds of present congestion of Westgate Street and the adverse influenco that such 0. terminus might have on ,its bus-station scheme, decided to appeal, if necessary, and oppose the companies' appeal, if any.
LIMIT ON EXCURSIONS.
AT a sitting in Manchester, last
Friday, the North-Western Traffic Commissioners emphasized that licences would not be issued for excursions and tours to industrial towns. Chaos would result from a variation of this rule, said Mr. W. Chamberlain, the chairman.
LONDON COACH STATION POSITION.
SPECIAL measures have been taken to protect the interests of operators, in connection with the liquidation of the proprietary company of the King's Cross Motor Coach Station. From October 27 until the liquidator is paid out, the revenue is being deposited into a separate trust account. .The Commercial Motor hopes to be in a position shortly to make a further official announcement on the matter.
NO MORE RAILWAYS FOR JAPAN.
No new railway lines will he 'laid
down in Japan, hilt the bus services will be developed instead, according to Mr. Chime blitsuchi, the Railway Minister. lie states that the total operating length of railways has now increased more than 10 per cent., but the revenue has decreased 20 per cent, as compared with 1932. WEST MIDLAND MOVE TO CURTAIL HEARINGS.
West Midland Traffic Commis sioners, in company with the Commissioners of most other areas, are highly concerned regarding the considerable amount of time occupied in hearing applications for licences. At a sitting in Birmingham, last week, Col. A. S. Redman, the chairman, remarked that the time absorbed by argument on individual applications was increasing, and the Commissioners felt that steps must be taken to reduce the expense involved.
They considered that they understood sufficiently the requirements of their own area to be in a position to curtail the hearing of applications. It was felt that valuable time had been occupied in connection with matters which the Commissioners considered should not affect their decisions.
The Commissioners propose to revert to the earlier practice of putting their own questions direct to applicants and permitting advocates to intervene, if necessary, by examining witnesses at a later stage. By this means it is hoped to accelerate the hearing of applications.
PROFIT ON BURNLEY BUSES.
THE report of the general manager of the tramway and bus department of Burnley Corporation has recently been issued in respect of the year ended March 31, 193.1 It shows that, during this period, the bits income amounted to £82,559, whereas working expenses totalled £71,492, the balance carried to the net revenue account thus being £11,148. Interest and sinking-fund charges reduced this sum to £1,226, which is carried to the re-laying and renewals account.
During the year the buses covered an aggregate mileage of 1,784,455 and carried 12,355,016 passengers ; the vehicles operate on a route mileage of 29.87—almost double that at the end of the previous year. LONDON TROLLEY-BUS PLAN OPPOSED.
THE London Passenger Transport
Board is to apply to Parliament in the ensuing session for powers to run trolley-buses on certain existing tramway routes. To permit the turning of vehieles at the Harrow Road terminus, it is proposed that such vehicles shall proceed along Edgware Road to Church Street, Paddington' and re-enter Harrow Road by way of Paddington Green.
Traffic in this section is particularly congested, and the works committee of Marylebone Borough Council ban requested the general purposes committee to oppose the Bill, in so far as it concerns the introduction of trolley-buses into Edgware Road. It has also drawn the attention of the Ministry of Transport to the proposal.
GLASGOW AS BODYBUILDER.
GLASGOW Corporation is to make a second attempt to obtain Parliamentary power, by way of a Provisional Order, to undertake the construction of bus bodies. NON-ASSOCIATED FIRM TARE OVER RAIL SERVICE.
AS there is no railway-associated company in the district, Messrs. A. ?.VfaeIntyre and Sons, Fort William, will take over, on December 1, when the London and North Eastern Railway Co. closes the romantic Fort Augustus branch. Messrs. Maclntyre already tun a service to Inverness from Fort WillFn, commenced on July 2, 1926, and n.sw operated by a fleet of 10 Ford coaches, each with accommodation for 14 passengers.