Rail-plan Effects Should Not be Exaggerated
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LTHOUGH the plan for reshaping I-1 British Railways would involve extra work for the bus/rail standing joint committee, the extent of the problem which the plan set for the Northern General company's buses should not be exaggerated, said Mr. A. F. R. Carling, chairman of the Northern General Transport Co. Ltd., in his annual report. Of the 79 railway passenger stations within the company's area when the L.N.E.R. purchased its interest in the company in 1929, no fewer than 37 had already been closed; implementation of recent proposals would involve closing a further 15. The truth was, said Mr. Carling, that the new plan amounted in many cases to little more than a recognition of the substantial shift in traffic which had already taken place; buses were a very flexible means
• cif transport and he had no doubt that they could effectively meet the public's need in these fresh cases.
Over the past year, he said, the group's gross profit had dropped substantially, from £931,553 to £819,317.
The raising of the speed limit to 40m.p.h. and improvements to main roads had given the company a chance to provide faster and better express services; and the company's holiday tours, which helped to subsidize stage carriage fares, had carried a record number of passengers in 1962.
a24 During the year Northern General put 57 new double-deckers and 12 new maximum-dimension single-deckers into service at a total cost of £405,000. During 1963, 89 new vehicles will be introduced: 42 double-deckers, 25 single-deck buses and 22 coaches, costing £498,000 in all.
The acquisition of I. and T. Hunter (Washington) Ltd., the last of the independent operators in that area, had enabled services there to be reorganized, said Mr. Carling, and a site had been acquired at Washington for a new garage.