Edinburgh Granted £132,000 Increase
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25 Northern Operators Apply for Higher Fares : Walsall Decision this Week
HE Scottish Licensing Authority last week granted permission to Edinburgh Transport Department to reduce the distance covered by the 3d. fare from six to four stages. This modification, which becomes operative from Sunday, will bring in another £132,000 a year.
Substantial fare increases are being sought by 25 operators in the Northern Traffic Area. They include Barrow-inFurness Corporation, Newcastle upon Tyne Corporation, Gateshead and District Omnibus Co. and Western S.M.T. Co., Ltd.
Barrow-in-Furness propose to add id. to the 24d.-44d. ordinary single rates, and Id. to the 5d., 51d. and 6d. singles and to all ordinary returns, with proportionate increases in workers' returns.
On certain services, Newcastle upon
• Tvne Corporation and Gateshead and District jointly propose to add id, to all single rates from 6.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and all day. Sundays and public holidays. • The addition of .4c1. to all fares over 147d. generally is sought in the case of
other services. .
Scottish. Application
Western S.M.T. seek to increase all single fares up to 6d. by Id.; 644. to 2s. 6d. by lcl.; 2s. 7d. to 5s. by 2d., and 5s. ld. and over by 3d, Return fares up Ii, 2s, 6d, would be raised by Id.; 2s, 7d, to 5s. by 2d.; and 5s, Id. and over by 3d.
When Walsall Corporation applied for permission to increase certain fares on Monday, the West Midland Licensing Authority, Mr, W. P. lames, said he was satisfied that there was need for additional revenue, but delayed sanction until later in the week when certain conditions will be announced.
Mr. J. Allen, for the corporation, said that there would be art estimated loss of
£36,000 on the current" year. If the existing fares remained, there would be a loss of £75,000 during the next financial year. If granted in full, the application would bring in an additional £82,000 a year, which would leave a small margin.
The proposals were that :td. be added to the 34d. ordinary single fares, and Id. to the workers' 3d. return. Objections from six local authorities were withdrawn, subject to certain conditions.
Yorkshire Company Applies The Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Co., Ltd., have applied •to the Yorkshire Licensing Authority for a partial increase in ordinary single rates, and for advances in ordinary returns, workers' singles and returns, and adult contract tickets.
In the case of ordinary singles, existing 11d. fares for stages up to 0.69 miles would be retained, but all higher rates up to 51d. inclusive would be increased by 4d., and those of 6d. and over, by Id.
Ordinary returns up to Is. 6d. would be raised by Id.; from Is. 7d. to 2s. 6d,, by 2c1.; and from 2s. 7d. upwards, by 3d. Similar changes are proposed in workers' returns. A 10 per cat. increase in the contract rates is proposed.
Red and White Services, Ltd., are also to apply for higher fares. They are to seek the addition of d. to the 2d.5d. rates; Id. to 6d.-is. lid.; 2d. to 2s.-3s. 5d,; and 3d. to 3s. 6d.-5s. 2d.
U.T.A. Comes Back
An application `seeking permission to charge even higher rates for passengers and goods than those recently approved (The, Commercial Motor, December 31 last) has been lodged with the Northern Ireland Transport Tribunal by the Ulster Transport Authority.
The reasons for this new application have been given in a statement issued by the U.T.A. as higher wages and increases in commodity prices and other charges since (he maximum charges were last fixed.
The effect of the application on freight rates would be to increase them by about 10 per cent., but the U.T,A. also want a further 5 per cent, margin "to enable any small unforeseen increase which may later become necessary to be applied without incurring the delay and expense of an appearance before the Tribunal."
Passenger charges would be raised by 5 per cent., with a margin similar to that desired in freight rates.
Rochdale Transport Department has applied for permission to vary ordinary fares, early-morning singles, and shift workers' and children's fares.
A 2d. minimum fare and the abolition of workers' returns are among proposals made by the Thames Valley Traction Co., Ltd.
Stratford-on-Avon Blue Motors, Ltd., are also seeking permission to introduce a 2d. minimum rate, with increases of d. in all fares up to 111d. inclusive. They also wish to raise the price of workers' returns and schoolchildren's weekly and terms tickets.
Loss Despite Increase
Before Baddcley Bros., Ltd., Holmfirth, were given permission to abolish workers' returns on two services and ordinary returns on one route. the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, Maj. F. S. Eastwood said: "Even if they are granted, you are going to make a loss of £5.200 on all three services. You cannot go on making losses."
Mr. J. T. Steele, a director of Baddeley Bros., said that on the Huddersfield-Decpcar service (on which they wished to abolish workers' returns) receipts were only 11.9d. a mile, but the service was important to the people living on the route.
Although the route was sparsely populated, the service carried a fair number of passengers, but would probably never pay its way. "In spite of this I think it necessary to run the service," said --Mr. Steele. Last year, when 135,355 passengers were carried, the company lost 9d. a mile.
The application in respect of workers' fares would not cover losses, but it was calculated that it would reduce them by about 10 per cent. Mr. Steele said that a further application to raise fares would be made.