Operating Aspects o
Page 31
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
WOMEN CONDUCTORS PLEASE GLASGOW
GLASGOVV"frausport Department is '4-1 thoroughly satisfied with the manlier in which women conductors on the municipal buses and trams are
carrying out their duties. Out of a total of more than 1,200 conductors, there are over 100 women on the buses and 650 on the trams. Many more will probably be appointed as the men are gradually called up for military service.
The department has not yet considered the appointment of women drivers, and it is not anticipated that such an expedient will become necessary. It is unofficially considered, however, that driving a bus or tram is essentially a man's job.
Under ihe present rules women applicants for jobs as conductors on the Glasgow municipal services must be single, widows or married women whose husbands are serving with the Forces. Before being appointed they have to undergo a strict medical examination and pass a fairly stiff educational test. So far, few of the applicants have failed.
HOLIDAYS OR PAY FOR WORKERS CALLED UP
ARISIN8 out of a dispute between Glasgow Corporation and the Transport and General Workers' -Union, with regard to payment of wages in lieu of holidays for men going on military service, a joint reference was made to the National Joint Industrial Council for the Passenger Transport Industry. It has now been announced that the Council upholds the Imnion point of view. This means that men going on military service, or who arc at present On military service, must receive payments, or holidays in lieu thereof.
REPLACEMENT PROBLEM FORESHADOWED AT WALSALL
DRING the past municipal year, L./Walsall transport undertaking was operated at a net profit of £21.950, compared with £19,659 in the previous year. In presenting the accounts, Councillor Hale, chairman of the transport committee, referred to the difficulties encountered during the past severe winter. On the subject of depreciation, he thought it reasonable to assume
that, when the department had to buy new vehicles, they would be more expensive than if they had been purchased last year, and he thought that each vehicle would cost roughly £1,000 more.
He said that there were about 200 vehicles in the department and if the present national stress continued for a few years, most of the vehicles would have run their useful life and. the department would be faced with the question of replacing them at • additional cost.
QPERATION of the motorbuses of V./Chester Corporation resulted in a surplus of £2,797 in the year ended March 31 last, compared with 2638 in the previous year. The annual loan repayment and interest in respect of the tramways, and a proportion .af loans fund expenses, amounting, in all, to 23,252, is charged against the surplus, thus resulting in a net deficit of £455, which, added to that brought forward from the previous year, gives a total of £6,031. After deducting a contribution of £1,500 from the general rate fund, the debit balance carried forward is 24,531.
HIGHER FARES TO OFFSET WAGES INCREASE?
AT a special meeting of Dundee Town Council, the transport committee's recommendation to accept the award of a further 3s. per week war wages, granted to transport employees by the Joint Industrial Council, was approved by 13 to 7 votes.
The vote disposed of a move for an appeal to the J.I.C. on the ground that the new award would probably mean increased fames. Treasurer Caldwell, who unsuccessfully moved a reference back for a financial report with a view to an appeal, said that there was no other way the undertaking could grant the increase except by increasing fares. By doing so it would be mulcting the general public to pay extra to the transport workers: Grimsby Transport Committee reports a net profit of 2302 on the motorbus and trolleybus undertaking for the year ended March 31 last.
ACCRINGTON'S BUSES HELP THE RATES
ON Accrington Corporation's bus undertaking there was a surplus of £4,401 in the year ended March 31 last. Gross revenue was £71,128 and gross expenditure £58,289; the net income was £12,839. The department, now debt free, • contributed 21,500 to the relief of rates.
The credit balance increased from 228,883 to £33,236. Capital expenditure out of revenue was 214,659 and a credit balance of 222,622 is carried forward. Capital expended out clif loans was £77,613, all loans having been repaid at the close of the year. The aggregate mileage run during the year was 1,074,218, against 1,362,315 a year earlier.
EDINBURGH'S REVENUE E47,000 LOWER
FOR the year ended May 28, the revenue from Edinburgh Corporation buses and trams totalled £1,114,108, against £1,161,702 for the previous year. The decrease on the bus services was 215,305 (net deficit 216,597) and on the traps services £32,290 (net deficit
£48,561). The number of passengers carried on the combined services was 196,613.747, against 202,279,256 for the previous year, and the total mileage run was 19,672,009 against 21,325,697.
• As from August 4 Edinburgh bus and tram fares are to be increased, 3d. becoming the maximum fare on tramcars and 3i.d. on buses. A shorter distance will be given for the id. fare and a new lid. fare will he introduced.
BUS DRIVER FINED FOR OVERLOADING ABUS driver from Grantown-onSpey was fined 25 and 5s, respectively, at. Inverness Sheriff Court, on two charges—first, of having carried 41 instead of 20 passengers on a bus, and, secondly, of failing to carry a work ticket showing a record of the journey. Accused was Angus Davidson, Woodburn Place, Grantown-on-Spey. It was stated that the bus was taking lumberjacks to .a dance in Carrbridge, and when accused opened the door of the bus the lumberjacks swarmed in. To avoid incidents, he allowed them to travel.