B.11.41.0. Yield £200,000 Below Estimates
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BECAUSE fewer people were Using their buses, a fare increase introduced in February had yielded £200,000 less than was estimated, This was said by Mr. R. Brandon, traffic manager of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., when the company applied to the West Midland Traffic Commissioners at Birmingham, last week, for permission to reduce the frequency of a variety of services in all parts of their area.
The application was granted, on condition that the cuts would be kept under review in case the demand for bus facilities should improve. • A similar application is pending with the East Midland Commissioners.
Mr. Brandon said that although more than 1.5m. miles, representing £100,000, would be saved it would still not be sufficient to stave off a further application for higher fares in the near future. The economies would merely cushion the severity of that application. Unremunerative rural services might have to he drastically reduced.
The industrial situation in the Midlands, and the increase in television and private means for transport, were blamed for the drop in traffic on public transport, DOUBLE-DECKERS AND TRAMS TO GO
QINGLE-DECK buses are gradually to
replace double-deckers in Bombay during the next 10 years. Of the 631 buses at present run in the city, 260 are double-deckers. The single-deck buses which are now being introduced have seats for 42 passengers and room for 10 more standing.
The city's 298 trams, which carry '5.1m. passengers a day, are to be abandoned within the next 10-15 years. It is proposed that 42 more singledeckers he added to the existing bus fleet. Within the next few months, bus services are to be extended to an are4 ' of 15 sq. miles in the northern suburbs of the city.
WARNING ON TROLLEYBUSES
THINK twice before abandoning
trolleyhuses was the advice given to local authorities by Mr. . C. T. Humpidge, general manager of Bradford Transport Department, when he addressed the Portsmouth centre of the Institute of Traffic Administration last week.
He forecast a substantial decrease in the cost of electricity as atomic power stations came into operation. It was likely that the cost of oil fuel would increase. He pointed out that although the capital Cost of trolleybuses and their ancillary equipment was. higher than that of motorbuses, running costs were lower and Vehicle life iQnger.
[The question Of abandoning tralley: buso is one of acute controversy. in Portsmouth]