Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
ACASE in which a bus was boarded by a traffic examiner, who found, that of the 14 passengers on board, none had a ticket, was heard at the Long Melford Police Court, on Friday last. The bus proprietor was Stanley Brown, of Glemsford, and the particular service was for the use of holders of workmen's weekly tickets.
The defendant, who was summoned for an offence under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, said that he had had so many complaints from his drivers and conductors about passengers having forgotten their tickets that he had sub
stituted, for the ticket system, a scheme of having a list of passengers, which was checked every morning.
The defendant was fined 10s. and 10s. costs, the Bench deciding that he had committed a technical offence.
SEVEN CHARGES AGAINST COACH OPERATOR.
THE difference between a vehicle engaged as a contract coach and a vehicle engaged where passengers paid separate fares, was stressed in a case brought before the East Hailing Magis
B14 trates last week. The organizer of an outing collected the fares and bad paid the coach proprietor a lump sum of £10.
Because the costs were heavy—£2— Mr. Lawrence Douglas Quinsee, of Cambridge, the coach proprietor, was ordered to pay a nominal fine of 2s. 6d. on each of seven charges: three charges of using a motor vehicle as an express carriage without a road service licence, two charges of permitting the use of a motor vehicle as an express carriage when there was not in force a P.S.V. licence to use it as a vehicle of that class, and charges for employing two men to drive a public service vehicle when not licensed to do so, The chairman of magistrates said it
A-r theend of last year there were 921 motorbus services in Poland, says Renter's Trade Service from Warsaw. These covered a total distance of 25,900 kilometres (16,187 miles). The buses carried 28,800,000 passengers during the year. Of the 921 lines, 34 are run by the Polish Railways and the rest by private enterprise.
LONDON 'TRAM-FREE IN FIVE YEARS
THE work of replacing London's trains with trolleybuses is proceeding steadily and London Transport estimates that the complete change-over will have been effected within the next five years. So far as the Thames Embankment is concerned, whilst the present tram tracks are confined to one side only, trolley buses will run on both sides as in the case of normal traffic. Preliminary plans are now being made in this connection by London Transport engineers.
OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED BUS-STATION SITE.
Ar ROPOSAL of the Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., to erect a bus-station on the site of the old Vicarage at the eastward end of the High Street and adjoining the Market Place, Southwold, is meeting , with a good deal of opposition on the grounds of difficulty of access, the fact
that the property is scheduled for residential purposes under the Town Planning Scheme, and that the proposed station would involve the sacrifi...e of some fine old trees in the vicarage garden.
The town council is strongly against the scheme and the Ribbon Development Sub-committee of the Roads and Bridges Committee of the East Suffolk County Council has thrown out the proposal.
In other quarters, the old railway yard is suggested as a suitable site.
FIVE NEW BUS ROUTES IN BRISTOL
I T is announced by the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., that it hopes to put the second stage of the tramways replacement scheme into operation on September 4, when 60 double-deck buses will replace 80 trams on five routes. The buses will be garaged at the old Staple Hill tram depot, which has been adapted as a bus depot. A tank, capable of holding more than 2,000 gallons of oil fuel, has been installed.
The routes on which buses will replace trams are Brislington-Centre, Knowle-Bristol Bridge, Knowle-Old Market, Staple Hill-Old Market, and Fishponds-Centre.
PLAN TO SCRAP MANCHESTER'S TRAMS.
THE scrapping of Manchester's entire tramway system will be the subject of a plan that is to be laid before an early meeting of the city council. The transport committee is recommending the use of trolleybuses on four routes and motorbuses on the remainder. Trams at present constitute almost half the Manchester system and to replace them it is anticipated that 428 extra vehicles would be required; of these 91 would be trolleybuses.
Heavy expenditure for stock would be counter-balanced to a large extent by substantial savings on permanentway costs.
YORKS. BUS STARTING-POINT
rOMMENT on the fact that no 1...,specific starting-point was mentioned in a bus service licence, was made at Settle (Yorkshire) Police Court, on Tuesday. August 23, during the hearing of a prosecution in which Lamb's Motor Services (Settle), Ltd., was accused of failing to comply with the conditions of a licence. It was alleged that on six occasions, between June 5 and June 19, a bus operated by the defendants left-Settle Market Place
for Horton at a time later than that specified on the time-table.
For the defendant company, it was said that it could not be disputed that the licence covered it from its garage at Horton, and it was submitted that the time of arrival at Settle was immaterial.
In one case the magistrates imposed a fine of El, with £2 14s. costs. The other cases were dismissed on payment of costs amounting to Al.
Mr. H. M. Bannister, the chairman of the Bench, remarked that the Traffic Commissioners might be more explicit in insisting on a specific starting point when granting licences.
INTRODUCED HIRE VEHICLES' INTO PLYMOUTH.
WITH the death of Mr. S. C. F. P. 17 Haddon, Plymouth loses a leading figure in the passenger-transport world. The first passenger vehicles for hire were introduced into the city by Mr. Haddon and it was only a short time before his death that he commenced to operate a number of streamlined taxicabs.
MAKING FOR SAFER TRAVEL.
IN order to make for increased safety land greater comfort for passengers on London Transport vehicles, the Board has issued a leaflet in which numerous safety-first hints are given. If all coach and bus travellers adopted the common-sense suggestions given, things would be made pleaannter for all concerned. Copies of the leaflet can be obtained from the Publicity Officer. London Transport, 55, Broadway, London, S.W.1.
OPERATOR LOSES BOTH WAYS.
A WEST AUCKLAND bus operator, .1-3.Mr. F. Lockey, was charged at Sunderland, last week, with permitting a public-service vehicle to be used without a receptacle containing essential first-aid dressings. Although he pleaded that the missing articles had been stolen he was, nevertheless, fined a sum of 22.
LIQUOR LAWS AND COACH TRIPS
ANimportant point concerning the supplying of liquid refreshments to be carried on motor-coach trips, was raised in a prosecution at Halifax Borough Court on Tuesday last.
The defendant was the licensee of a local inn, who pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the taking away of intoxicating liquor from his premises during non-permitted hours.
It was stated that defendant had organized a coach trip to the Lake District for his customers, who paid the charge of 13s. per head by instalments. For consumption. during the trip he provided, free of charge, eight dozen half-pint bottles of ale and one dozen bottles of mineral waters. At 7.45 a.m. on Sunday, July 24, before the excursion started from the inn, police officers saw cases containing bottled beer being carried to the coach. Defendant, himself, carried out the first case.
For the defence, it was said that defendant had no idea he was doing wrong. It was hoped, however, that the case would act as a warning to other licensees who did not understand, that taking away liquOr from their premises during non-permitted hours was illegal, unless entries of liquor taken were made in a day book, and a delivery note or invoice was taken with the goods.
The case was dismissed on payment of 4s. costs. The presiding magistrate said the Bench hoped it would serve as a warning.
DEATH OF WORTHING'S FIRST BUS OPERATOR.
THE man who first introduced motorbuses to Worthing, Mr. William Gates, died in that town recently, at the age of 83. His venture with buses started just prior to the war, when, in partnership with a Mr. Davis Brazier, he started a service in the town. After several years of successful running, his buses were acquired by Southdown Motor Services, Ltd. •