READING TO USE DOORS WITH INTERLOCK A DEPUTATION from Reading
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riTransport Committee, which recently visited Manchester, has recommended that folding doors should be fitted' to 20 trolleybuses that Reading Corporation has on order. It is proposed that the door gear and the accelerator should be interlocked so that the vehicle cannot be driven away while the doors are
open. • As reported in " The Commercial Motor" dated May 9, Manchester Corporation has been experimenting with a Crossley double-decker with G. D. Peters vacuum-operated double-folding rear doors.
Mr. Atkinson, Manchester's*rollingstock superintendent; told the-deputation that the corporation was trying out six
more buses with folding -doors. On these vehicles the platform would be lowered to the normal height, and the folding doors would close flush with it, instead of on a step, as in the original vehicle described in "The Commercial Motor."
The driver's push-button controls for operating the doors are fixed approximately at cap level above the windscreen. The deputation noticed that the driver's attention was distracted from driving when he sought the button to open the doors on corning to a stopping point.
The deputation felt that the pushbuttons should be separated. The "opening " button should be of the shrouded type, fixed on the cab partition next to the steering wheel, and the "closing" button should be mounted above. the windscreen.
ABERDEEN'S THRIFT REWARDED
TOTAL revenue for the year ended May 31, 1947, from Aberdeen Transport Department was £565,910—an increase of £51,293 over the previous year.
Revenue from bus services amounted to £247,806, showing an increase of £49,670. Gross profit was £33,133, an increase of £2,576, the balance being £4,495.
DOOR CLOSED ON NEWCOMERS 'WHEN Bedlington Luxury Coaches, Ltd„ sought permission to start a bus service between Newbiggin and Morpeth, the Northern Licensing Authority for Public Service Vehicles, Mr. S. W Nelson, admitted that a case had been made out, but he declined to sanction the service.
United Automobile Services, Ltd., and Wansbeck Motor Services, Ltd., already operate in the area, and Mr. Nelson said that, although need for the service had been proved, he was not prepared to bring in another operator. The matter would be deferred to give the other two companies the opportunity to submit anapplication to run the serviee .
Mr T. Campbell Wardlaw, for the Bedlington concern, objected to this course on the ground that the "United" had known the. position, but had taken no steps -to provide the serVice. The policy of the.Licensing Authority would virtually close the door to newcomers.
For the "United" it was stated that the local authorities concerned had never asked for the service. The chairman of Ashington Council admitted that his council had never approached the " United " on the subject, but he said that 'a request had been made to Wansbeck Motor Services, -Ltd. The chairman of Newbiggin Council said that when the " United " had been approached about other services the company had always stated that insufficient buses were available.
WORKMEN'S FARES: MINISTRY STEPS IN
Epo EPRESENTATIVES of four associ ations undertook to give urgent consideration to the question of workmen's fares on road passenger services, in relation to the staggering of hours in industry after a conference had been held .at the Ministry of Transport;" last week. Mr. L. J. Callaghan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry, presided. He was accompanied by representatives of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Labour.
Representatives attended from the Public Transport Association, the Municipal Passenger Transport Association, the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association and the Scottish Passenger Transport Association.
As reported in "The Commercial Motor" last week, it is believed that most operators favour the abolition of workmen's fares. A complete case for doing so was presented by Mr. E. L. Taylor at the conference of the Public Transport Association last May
DUNDEE HIGHER FARES PLEA
HIGH wages, cost of materials and the 44-hour week have strained the finances of Dundee transport undertak-.
ing. This was stated by Mr. H. W. Guthrie, K.C., inDundee last week, when he presented to the Scottish Licensing Authority, Mr. A. Henderson, the Corporation's application for an allround increase in fares of id.
Mr.. Guthrie said that the cost per mile was bigner than in other places, owing to the layout of the city.
Present bus fares ranged from ld. to 4-id., with an average of 1.32 miles for Id. Last year the two services showed a combined deficit of £23,838, which reduced the reserve fund to £46,084. Estimates for this year showed a deficit of £69,245. Mr Guthrie submitted that the proposed increase did no more than give effect to the change in value of money since 1939. Decision was reserved.
CONVERSION DELAYED
D EPRESENTATIVES of Gateshead, I N. Newcastle-on-Tyne and Felling, have discussed with the Ministry of Transport the proposed change-over from trams to trolleybuses in Gateshead and Felling. It is understood that the Ministry informed them that, because of the shortage a vehicles and equipment, the conversion could not be made immediately.
Pirelli, Ltd., is now operating its Manchester region from 709, Chester Road, Stretford, Manchester. Mr. T. C. Perkins is regional manager. NOTTINGHAM'S GOLD4N TRANSPORT JUBILEE AST week Nottingham Corporation LA transport dept. celebrated its golden jubilee, and to mark the event one of the latest buses was painted gold and fitted with experimental fluorescent interior lighting, whilst a horse bus was borrowed from Leicester and operated at a special "fare.
Mr. Ben England, general manager, gave some interesting figures on this occasion. He said that revenue had grown from £42,000 a year to £1,070,000, passengers had increased from under 8,000,000 to 161,000,000 and capital from £80,000 to £1,250,000. Fifty years ago, mileage covered was 750,000 in a year and to-day it was 11,750,000 and still increasing.
The department had contributed €500,000 to relief of rates, and in 1939 was the eleventh road passenger transport undertaking in the British Isles. To-day it was ninth and stood very high in reputation.
The department was handicapped by the shortage of vehicles and garage space, but such factors were being remedied slowly but surely. He paid tribute to his four chief assistants, Mr. H. G. Morley, deputy general manager and traffic manager, Mr. E. S. Eales, commercial manager, Mr. D. P. Martin, chief engineer, and Mr. J. Cowperthwaite, claims superintendent, and their staffs.
SUBSTANTIAL SOUTH AFRICAN ORDER FOR LEYLANDS
A£150,000 order from Durban has been placed with Leyland Motors, Ltd., for 75 double-d• cker bus chassis. The vehicles are standard export models, 8 ft. wide, with 17-ft. 6-in. wheelbase Twenty-five of the machines will be shipped direct to Durban, where they will be fitted with 58-seater bodies for the use of the European population. The other 50 cnasss will be despatched to Port Elizabeth for it is understood, 62 to 66-seater bodies for non-Europeans. The vehicles are the latest Leyland 125 h.p. oilers.
MEXBOROUGH FARES STAY UP
THE Minister of Transport has decided not to order a reduction of fares on the trolleybus services of the Mexborough and Swinton Traction Co., although a reduction was recommended by Major F. S. Eastwood, Yorkshire Licensing Authority, as a result of an inquiry which he held some months ago. The inquiry was held because of representations against a fares increase introduced on the company's services. The objectors included the urban district councils of Conisborough, Mexborough. Swinton and Rawmarsh.
Aletter announcing the Minister's decision to uphold the increase points out that since the inquiry there have been arbitration awards concerning the conditions of service of the company's employees. These awards, the letter adds, will involve "a substantial increase in the company's expenditure on Wages, affecting materially the estimates on which the referee's conc'...ions were based."