"MINISTER SHOULD DEFINE A CONTRACT CARRIAGE."
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SUGGESTIONS that the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners should ask the Minister of Transport to define a contract carriage were made, last Tuesday, at a sitting of the Commissioners at Leeds.
The point arose during an application that was a sequel to the recent High Court ruling that the carrying of members of football supporters' clubs to matches was not contract work and required a licence. R. Barr (Leeds), Ltd., asked for excursion and tour licences to Tun from various points in Leeds to football matches—traffic which it had hitherto handled as contract work.
Amongst the opponents to the application was the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., which contended that the work in question was contract work. Were it necessary to obtain licences for all private work in connection with which individual fares were paid, the West Yorkshire company would, it was said, have to make about 3,000 further applications annually.
The Commissioners intimated that they would consider the application.
The recent High Court ruling was mentioned alsowhen Messrs. A. H. Keeling and Sons, of Leeds, asked for stage-carriage licences to operate from Leeds Town Hall to any point in the city, at a fare of 6d., on the occasion of social functions, after the regular services had ceased to work. In the past it had been done as contract work, and the application was made to legalize the position. The Commissioners deferred their decision.
THIRTY MORE OIL-ENGINED BUSES FOR MANCHESTER.
ON Tuesday last Manchester Corpora tion's transport committee decided to order 25 Crossley and five Leyland oilengined chassis to be equipped with allmetal bodies built in the municipal workshops. An all-metal bus has been in service in Manchester and is said to have given complete satisfaction.
GAS BUS TO GO ON SERVICE.
IT was reported last Tuesday that, next week, a bus running on gas as fuel is to be put into service in the Newcastle area by the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd. The company is said to have been experimenting for some time in conjunction with the Newcastle and Gateshead Gas Co. The cost of the fuel will be 9d. for the equivalent of a gallon, and the bus will cover some 70 miles on a charge of gas.
ARGUMENT ON CHILDRMN'S FARES.
DIFFERENTIATION between chil
dren's fares on express-carriage services and excursions and tours, against those on stage carriages, inirecommendatong by the Yorkshire Regional Fares Committee, led to arguments when the proposals came before the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, at Leeds, last Tuesday.
The committee recommended that, in all cases, children under three years old should be carried free, and that children Over three and under 14 should be conveyed at two-thirds of the adult fare, with a seat guaranteed, on expresscarriage services, and excursions and
tours, and at half fare on stage-carriage services.
Strong opposition was put forward by Yorkshire Motor Coach Owners, Ltd., which contended that the differentiation would give an unfair advant age to stage-carriage operators. For children over three there should be a uniform rate of half the adult fare.
Major P. J. Chapple (West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd.), chairman of the Regional Fares Committee, raised the question of how many children under three years old should be allowed with one woman passenger. Leeds and Tod morden Corporations desired that children up to five years old should be carried free. Rotherham Corporation asked that not more than one child should be allowed to travel free with an adult, and that half fare should be charged for any other child with the same person.
The Commissioners reserved their decision.
GENERAL TRAVEL AGENCY AND LONDON TERMLNAL STATION.
WE are able to announce that the General Travel Agency (London.), Ltd., 16, Eceleston Street, S.W.1 (a sub-
s'diary of Red and White Services, Ltd., Chepstow), has taken over the pickingup and setting-down facilities and booking organization of the London Terminal Coach Station, Clapham Road, S.W.% and is working in association with Blue Belle Motors, Ltd., the freeholder. The Blue Belle concerts is keeping open the garage.
Red and White Services, Ltd., is thus given a direct hold on London coach services.
£25,000 STATION FOR S.M.T.
A NEW coach station to cost £25,000 is to be built by the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., on a site in Buchanan Street and Jermiston Street, and plans were passed a few days ago by the Glasgow municipal authorities. The administrative block of buildings will consist of three storeys, incorporating a large Testaurant, waiting
TOORIEL etc.
COMMISSIONERS AND OPERATORS CONFER.
THE conference between operators
and the West Midland Traffic Commissioners, -foreshadowed a few weeks ago in The Commercial Motor, was held yesterday at the Priory Rooms, tipper Priory, Birmingham.
Subjects for discussion included children's fares, public service -vehicle stations, picking up pre-booked Passengers for express services, the enforcement of licence conditions, and licences to cover the conveyance of pre-booked parties. COUPON FARES TO CEASE: STOKE TO APPEAL.
THE West Midland Traffic Com missioners have decided to grant the applications of bus operators in the Potteries for the abolition of the coupon system of fares, 'replacing it by workmen's and ordinary return tickets. The hearing of the case was reported in our Issue dated January 13.
Stoke-on-Trent Corporation, which resents this ruling, has decided to appeal against it. The decision a the Commissioners will, it is stated, be published on February 6, and in the meantime operators are provided with an opportunity for suggesting changes in the schedules.
An interesting outcome of the situation is that a suggestion has been made that the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. should at once inaugurate a frequent service of road-rail vehicles (presumably similar to the Karrier RoRailer) on the Potteries loop line.
MR. FRENCH APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF P.S.V. OPERATORS, LTD.
WE understand that Mr. W. F. French, managing director of the United Service Transport Co., Ltd., has been appointed chairman of P.S.V. Operators, Ltd., the concern formed to introduce the standardized-ticket scheme for booking agents originally sponsored by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, Ltd.
We also learn that Mr. F. H. Waters, who was previously secretary of the Coach Owners Federation, has been appointed secretary and manager of P.S.V. Operators, Ltd.
L.G.O.C. AND SIX-WHEELERS.
REPORTS have appeared in the Press (not in The Commercial Motor) to the effect that it is unlikely that the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., will put into service further sixwheeled buses.
As we announced some time ago, the L.G.O.C. is trying out an A.E.C. four wheeled 60-seater, designated the STL type, but we understand that statements that the London General concern will give up the further use of six-wheelers are somewhat premature.
NEW SOUTHAMPTON STATION FOR "HANTS AND DORSET."
THE main block of the new bus station of Hants and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd., at West Marlands, Southampton, was opened by Major-General Sir Reginald Ford, K.C.M.G., O.K., D.S.O., chairman of the Southern Traffic Commissioners, last Monday.
The Hants and Dorset services now operate from the new station, instead of from the terminus in Pound Tree Road.
The building has two storeys. On the ground floor is a spacious and comfortable centrally heated waiting room. At one end is a parcels office and at the other are telephone cubicles and cloakrooms. There are also offices on the ground floor for the general manager, local manager and accountants' staff.
The accommodation on the first floor is for the use of the clerical staff, and includes offices and ticket-sorting rooms, and a large store for used tickets. In the yard behind the building there is room for 16 buses, and this space will shortly be increased. EASTERN LICENCE TRANSFER.
THE Eastern Traffic Commissioners last week transferred to Messrs. Hicks Brothers, of Felstead, licences held by the Silver End Development Co., for services on two routes between Braintree and Witham. The transfer will take effect at the end of the month.
Sir Haviland Hiley, chairman of the Commissioners, stated that the buses to silver End must, for the time being, use the Braintree bus station. It may be remembered that, some time ago, Messrs. Hicks Bros. successfully resisted an attempt by the Braintree municipal authority to make it a licence' condition that Messrs. Hicks' buses should use the council station, and the Commissioners allowed them to continue to work from their own premises.
THE LIGHTER SIDE.
THE third annual staff ball of the Lincolnshire Road Car Co., Ltd., was held at Lincoln last week, when 350 guests attended.
Over 450 guests were present at the annual ball of Black and White Motor. ways, Ltd., at Cheltenham, and parties came from as far away as London, Birmingham and Bristol.
LEEDS TRAMS TO GO?
A PROPOSAL for a new circular bus .4-1_ route in Leeds is, subject to the approval of the city council, to be submitted to the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners by the Leeds authority.
If the scheme materializes, the greater part of the tram route covered by the new service, notably in Belle Vue Road, will be abandoned. Were the tram route retained, heavy expense would he involved in repairing it. Ap proval of the scheme will, we understand, involve the purchase of new buses.
SMALL ASSOCIATION TO CONTINUE FOR A YEAR.
ALTHOUGH the South Berks 13us Proprietors and Carriers Association appears not to be receiving the support anticipated, the organization is to carry on for another year.
This decision was made, last week, aethe annual meeting of the Association, when Mr. W. Chalk was re-elected chairman, Mr. G. E. Hedges vicechairman and honorary treasurer, and Mr. S. A. Cartwright secretary. This body is affiliated to the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, Ltd. 105 FEWER RUSES AT SLOUGH.
AS a result of the decision of the Minister of Transport, on appeals by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., against certain rulings of the Southern Traffic Commissioners, 165 buses will be removed from the Windsor-Slcaigh route.
AGENTS VISIT FINGLAND'S.
ON January 19, Fingland's Bookings and Coach Stations, Ltd., Manchester, held its first annual staff and agents' dance and whist drive. Agents from London, as well as en route from Coventry, and from Blackpool and the surrounding area, took part in the gathering of some 220 persons.