Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
FREE TRAVEL FIXED AT THREE YEARS
rrHE publication, last week, by the Minister of .. Transport, of his decision to impose an age limit of three years for the free carriage of children on public-service vehicles, follows a thorough invettigation in which the interests of all classes of. operator were considered.
Several appeals. were lodged by yailway . companies and independent operators 'against Commissioners' .decisions to allow free travel,. up to six years, on Services operated by various corporations. '.Whilst it' would haVe been possible to have treated with each on its merits, the Minister decided to institute a general inquiry, not only amongst all the parties to the existing appeals, but amongst other persons and interests which appeared to the Minister to be concerned in the question.
How the decision will affect some municipaloperators may be gathered from th6 age limits which, hitherto, have obtained in some areas and of which the following are examples:— Edinburgh, four years; Glasgow, five years; Leicester. six years; Birmingham, five years.
No order was made by the Minister as to the costs of the inquiries.
MINISTER'S DECISION THAT MAY BE RAISED IN THE HOUSE.
LAOCAL authorities in the West Midland Traffic Area, who are affected by the recent decision of the Ministry of Transport, to fix the maxifiturn age for free travel on buses at three-years, are discussing the probability of raising the matter in the House of Commons.
In June, of List year, the West Midland Traffic Commissioners refused an application by the railways to make the age limit three years, but the railways appeal to the Ministry was granted.
Mr, A. C. Baker, general manager of Birmingham Transport Committee, pointed out that hardship would be done to thousands of people as a result of this decision. The matter might well be raised in the House of ComMons, he said, and as the Birmingham Transport Committee had done everything it could to maintain the limit at five years, it would not readily consent to the change.
CARDIFF SEEKS ADVICE ON ITS TRANSPORT
I N an effort to solve the problem of
whether Cardiff should change to trolleybuses or oil-engined buses, when replacing its trams, the local authority has invited Newcastle-on-Tyne's transport manager, Mr. T. P. Easton, to arbitrate on the question.
Mr: Easton, from a general standpoint, prefers trolleybuses, but, if he accepts the invitation, he will investigate the local conditions in Cardiff before he gives his opinion.
Newcastle's trolleybus system, introduced in 1935, has attracted deputations from town and city councils in many parts of the world. " Before I accept or reject the invitation," said Mr. Easton to our representative, "I will, as it is apparently an official matter, have to secure the views of the transport committee here. Such an invitation seems to indicate that Newcastle's transport arrangements are generally recognized as being among the most up to date and efficient in the country,"
DUNDEE AND ITS TAXIS.
ARESUMPTION of the Dundee taxi " war" was foreshadowed at a meeting of the city magistrates on April 19. After a discussion on procedure, the magistrates decided that the whole matter of new licences, to ply for hire on stances and on the streets, would be settled at a special meeting which has been arranged to take place on May 1.
ECHO OF MINER'S LOST JOURNEY CLAIM
AT Consett County Court last week, Judge Richardson gave his decision in a case, heard a month ago, when, as reported in these columns, a miner claimed a day's wages from the Northern Transport Co., Ltd., for hiss of a day's work as the result of one of the company's btises failing to.arrive to take a number of miners to work. The miner was awarded 7s. I ld., and the defendant was given leave to .appeal. It as stated that -19 miners 'were. involved, and the' case heard was a test
case, • • • The Judge said that it appeared to him that the bus company ought never to have resisted the claim. It was a legitimate claim, and the fact that the buses operated only according to 'regulations drawn up by the company, did
not enter into the matter. It was clearly the fault of one of the company's employees that the bus did not turn up. In the circumstances, he would not refuse the company's application for leave to appeal, but would grant it with reluctance.
A BUS DRIVER TO BROADCAST.
A SHORT story, entitled '!The I—I Organ Blower," written by Mr, E. Eynon Evans, a Caerphilly bus driver. will be read by the author, from B.B.C.
stations on May 1. Mr. Evans has written several successful comedies for broadcasting.
BUSES FOR THE HIGHLAND SHOW.
AT Aberdeen, on Monday last, the Traffic Commissioners for the Northern Area of Scotland intimated that, on June 6, they would be prepared to hear applications to run buses to Edinburgh in connection with the Highland Show, ApplicationS should be lodged without delay.
Mr. Alexander Burnett was granted permission to run buses to the Highland Show from Longsicle, and a similar application was granted to James Sutherland (Peterhead), Ltd., to run buses from Fraserburgh and Peterhead, LONDON TRANSPORT'S INGENIOUS POCKET MAP.
AN ingenious device, similar to that used on military maps, has been adapted by London Transport for its new pocket map of Green Line coach routes.
When the sheet is folded in a certain way, the principal map joins up with a continuation section printed on the back. Although the map is no larger than the familiar pocket maps published by London Transport, the area covered by the new maps, including the two continuation sections (north and south), is increased by 66 per cent.
The map shows, not only every regular coach stop, but the more important open spaces belonging to the Green Belt, and every return fare from Central London. Copies may be obtained from the usual sources.