Phases of Passenger Travel
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GLASGOW'S TRANSPORT MONOPOLY IN EFFECT.
A Fair Hearing to Both Skies on the Subject of Municipal v. Private Enterprise.
Asa result of the institution of the transport monopoly within the city boundary by Glasgow Corporation, complaints are, it is said, being made of the infrequency of services in certain districts, and it is revealed that some private operators are considering, in the event of a further decline in their traffic receipts, the dismissal of a number of their employees.
Investigating the situation in the city, a representative of The Commercial Motor learned that suggestions have been put forward that the question should be made an election issue, and that a census of the traffic in the various districts should be taken to enable the corporation to provide for the greatly increased number of passengers now using its services. On the other hand, the corporation transport department has stated that " no appreciable increase has yet been noted," except in one case, where the frequency of the service has been improved from eight minutes to six minutes. The department, it is stated, is quite ready to meet any necessary increase so soon as the need develops.
Yet it is estimated that private operators have lost thousands of passengers since the monopoly became operative, and in some cases services have even been curtailed. Seven days to adapt themselves to the new conditions were allowed to operators, but in most instances the monopoly was immediately ar.knowledged. It was impossible because of this period of grace to estimate, when The Commercial Motor made inquiries, what the immediate benefit to the corporation receipts had been.
Within the city, passengers from the edge of the boundary, who formerly travelled by other transport services and are now required to use the corporation buses, allege, in one case, that the cost of using this system now entails an additional weekly outlay.
A defence of the small private operators was made by a prominent figure In Glasgow trade circles, in adopting a new line on the controversy which has arisen. "Why confine all this talk to the corporation," he asked, and he took the view that conditions outside the city -were equally as unsatisfactory, due to the absence of competitive services on a large scale.
This monopoly of transport, he contended, had become more pronounced since the corporation obtained its powers, and he declared that a continuance of the present state of affairs would cause irreparable harm to Glasgow as a tourist centre.
In the case of the small private concerns most of the traffic was obtained within the city boundary, and the result of the corporation monopoly was felt to a greater extent by these than by the associated companies, which, operating over longer routes, drew their traffic from a wider area. Practically all the available licences had been granted by the Glasgow magistrates, it was pointed out, and this factor, combined with the approaching date of the operation of the Road Traffic Act, rendered the chances of the smaller operator extending his services farther afield—even if his capital warranted such an extension— exceedingly remote.
Facilities in the way of family and weekly unlimited travel tickets, formerly issued by companies outside the boundary, had been curtailed, our informant asserted, in view of the total elimination of serious competition to the larger companies.
To return to the other monopoly, so far as it affects the corporation, definite views are expressed in favour of the operation of sole control over the traffic within the city, which, it is asserted, will ultimately make for greater efficiency in service to the bus-travelling public.