BUS DEVELOPMENTS IN LANARKSHIRE.
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How Bus Owners Have Co-operated and Formed an Association for the Protection of Their Interests.
THE pressure which some Of the big bus companies are bringing to bear upon privately owned concerns in certain parts of Lanarkshire has been responsible for several " combines" which have of late been formed in the county. The most notable of these is the L.B.O.A. (Lanarkshire Bus Owners Association), which has for its identification a red disc bearing the letters Al. This disc is used by members on their vehicles, being affixed to the near side of the windscreen. The Al, as it is more commonly known, has a membership of 70 different owners, who got together to form the association. These owners find that by co-operation they are able to run a better service and to maintain a more complete time-table for the benefit of the public, whilst they are also able to purchase in bulk, and, therefore, more cheaply, which redounds to the benefit -of
each owner. "
The members of the association employ 150 buses on regular services, and they have a reserve of approximately 45 vehicles, At present they maintain a 5minute service from Hamilton Cross to Glasgow, that is, a 10-minute service from Newrnains to Glasgow, and a 10minute service from Larkhall to Glasgow, touching the same route from Hamilton Cross cit3rwards as the other service, thus giving a 5-minute service until the routes again separate, one going via Uddingston and the other via Cambu slang.
Another route on which Al vehicles ply for hire is that from Lanark to Glasgow via Motherwell Cross and Bellshill Cross, on which a 15-minute service is maintained. There are also two other routes on which buses bearing the Al disc can be seen. On the Shorts to Airdrie route there are the vehicles of Messrs. Greenshields Bros., of Salsburgh, and on the Motherwell to Airdrie route are to be found the blue buses of Messrs. Currie and Thomson. The latter service is maintained by three Clydes, two Lancia,s, and a Ree-Major, and the distance from end to end of the route is 61 -miles. The firm, which is owned by two partners, had its beginning in 1923, when a 14-seater. Clyde motor coach was in use at week-ends. Through dint of hard work, this vehicle won much patronage, and, later, it was put into commission every evening between Calderbank and Airdrie, a distance of 2i miles.
As traffic increased on this route, a 14-seater Clyde saloon bus was purchased to assist the other vehicle, and at week-ends the service was extended so far as New Stevenstou," some 2imiles farther on, and, at that time, the terminus for the buses of the Scottish General Transport Co. Purther progress was made, and it became necessary to purchase a third bus, this being of the same type as the second vehicle, and a day service was instituted. When the Lanarkshire Tramways Co. took over the Scottish General Transport Co.'s buses in jarmary, 1925, the former company extended their services from New Stevenston to Hamilton, an extra 4 miles, and, at this stage, Messrs. Carrie and Thomson's service was opened up to Motherwell Cross by the aid of two Lancias and a Ran Major. The company have now established an efficient service which runs at regular intervals and is maintained by well-appointed saloon buses. One of their Lancias is shown in a picture on the previous page.
• On the whole, the fares charged on the buses ruu by the members of the L.B.O.A. are 50 per cent. lass than third-class railway fares .ovet similar distances, whilst the riding comfort is extremely good.
The time-tables of members' services have been carefully planned to give the utmost benefit to the travelling public, and inspectors have been appointed to see that they are adhered to. From the poster which we reproduce it is clear that its members set themselves out to give safe and efficient travelling facilities to the public.