Jperators May Have Second rhoughts About Bigger P.S.V.s
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• L AST week's announcement by the Minister of Transport that he was to invite comments from interested organizations on a proposal to raise the maximum permitted width of public service vehicles from 8 ft. to 8 ft. 2+ in., and their length from 30 ft. to 36 ft.; appears to have
created a cool wind of caution in the industry.
Although certain section i of the tssenger field have asked for this mcession for some time past (there was feeling that British coach dimensions mupared unfavourably with their ontinental competitors), second thoughts ay well indicate that things are not so id as they stand, writes a special )rrespondent, To Soon? It is perhaps too soon for manufacLrers or operators fully to consider the aplications of the Minister's proposal, r even to know exactly what he has in Lind. There is certainly more in drafting 'gulations of this kind than appears on le surface. It is probable, for example, at the rules governing overhang and crept circle would also have to be nended,
The specialist manufacturers who ready offer export chassis would, of )urse, have no difficulty in meeting ;quirements up to 36 ft. A.E.C., laimler, Dennis, Guy, Leyland and sddon all have suitable designs which aye earned their place in world markets. is probable that new demand for such tassis at home would stimulate exports ad, at the same time, result in a general ■ wering of prices.
So far as the lightweight, quantityloduced chassis are concerned, the Lanufacturers would almost certainly faced with a redesign problem. An Iditional 6 ft. in the length of a touring aach poses its own problems of weight, awer and braking efficiency. It is atikely that the problems could be Aired without added cost.
Congestion Problem Many urban operators are using 74-seat ouble-deckers with profit, particularly the peaks. Whether a considerably rger vehicle would prove equally iccessful is a matter for some doubt. here is traffic congestion to be con. dered, although this is perhaps of less amediate importance than the aspect of inning costs. The bodywork would most certainly have to include at least le entrance and a separate exit to deal ieedily with the increased traffic flow. loreover, the success or failure of the -oject might well hinge on the attitude the trade unions involved, At this stage, even coach operators who ight be expected to benefit most under Le proposed new regulations, tend to s coyly hesitant in their acceptance of le scheme. Uppermost in their minds is e question of cost. Would an extra ilf-dozen seats justify the increased itial cost of a more powerful and ;avier coach, as well as its higher inning and maintenance costs? One operator to whom I spoke would have preferred to offer his passengers higher standards of comfort without any increases in seating capacity, adding that it was becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable hotel accommodation for 40 people, let alone 50.
The new proposals have received the blessing of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders because they feel that increased home production of the larger, more powerful chassis would stimulate demand from overseas. BUS GARAGES DISCUSS
PAY AWARDS nELEGATES representing the 5,000
maintenance men at 100 London bus garages met yesterday to vote on pay and hours proposals from the London Transport Executive.
The L.T.E. has presented three proposals—a rise of 6s. 7d. and 7s. 7d. a week, according to grade, back-dated to January II, or a rise of 8s. and 9s. backdated only to October 26, or a reduction from 44 hours to 42 hours in the working week, with adjustments in bonus and allowances amounting to over 6s, a week,