bird's eye view
Page 45
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5y the Hawk • Fighting back
L'alls for the return of their passenger transart undertakings to local authority control lave now been made, I see, by Salford and lury, both of which lost their enterprises to
■ ELNEC. Bury town council last week lecided to call upon the Minister to introduce he ,necessary legislation; Salford had preiously taken similar action. ClIr Jim Broster, ireviously deputy chairman of Salford transKilt committee, prominent member of the oTA and himself a transport contractor, told ne they want their fleet back "before the vhole situation gets out of hand". SELNEC's Central Division, which steers the peak-hour surcharge over which there Lave been so many protests, comprises only he former Manchester and Salford underakings. The latter, which also provides ervice,s for Eccles, Swinton and Prestwich, Lad a lengthy record of profitable working ind assets of over £2m, so not surprisingly he citizens think they could get along a good leal better on their own. In other SELNEC livisions further rumblings of discontent have Yen heard, notably I gather in Stockport and 3olton.
Goldfinger!
'rotests, even violent protests, are nothing ew, but I think the reason and method of an shford, Middlesex, housewife must be mique.
She has been arguing with London Transport and its drivers for the past seven or so years because buses often stop beyond a certain bus stop and directly outside her front door. She has complained that this blocks the light and allows top-deck passengers to peer directly into the bedroom windows.
London Transport has posted notices in relevant garages telling drivers not to stop outside the gate, but in the words of LT's area manager, Victor Jobbins, "there is always the awkward bod who will stopthere". It was one such "awkward bed" that prompted the housewife to make her violent protest. She sprayed the offending bus with gold paint from an aerosol tin. LT said it will take no action this time as the paint was easily removed.
Last word from the housewife: "I am going to get some better paint."
• Express success
Having seen on TV a succession of unedifying pictures of riots in Northern Ireland many people have been ready to conclude that trade in the province must be practically at a standstill. Far from it, if one is to judge by the commercial vehicle traffic on the Stranraer-Larne ferry. During the first 28 weeks of this year the figures showed an increase of over 30 per cent compared with the same period in 1969. Last winter H. Currie and Son Ltd supplemented their conventional service from Manchester to Ulster by the fast-scheduled Shamrock Express which offers followingday delivery seven days a week in both directions. Norman Currie tells me that this facility has been operating to capacity while his company's normal services to Ulster have recorded a 20 per cent increase in the first half of 1970. And a Stranraer-Larne ferry publicity film to be made in the near future is likely to make a special feature of the Shamrock Express.
• High society
It is seldom easy to interpret technical trends for a lay public, and I take my hat off to John Weinthal, the SMMT's press and public relations manager, for the way in which he has been tackling the task of disseminating information about this year's Commercial Motor Show.
The SMMT's latest press release about the Show even manages to make a subtle but convincing case for increasing maximum vehicle weights, arguing that if even the existing axle limits were added together then a five-axle vehicle could gross 46 tons without going above present axle maxima. In fact, this is a little bit naughty, because such an outfit would be expected to have an 18-ton bogie limit; one certainty cannot visualize a widespread bogie with double-drive. This would bring a maximum gross combination weight of 44 tons (6+ 18+ 10+ 10) which indeed is the proposal that everyone has been arguing about.
Still, that's a small quibble. It is nice to see the Society giving detailed reasons for claiming that "the commercial vehicles at Earls Court from September 18 to 26 ... will represent the safest, most economic and technically advanced goods transporters in the world today".
• Grandstand view
I hear tell that the grumbles of passengers booked on a Maidstone and District Motor Services excursion to Folkestone races last week (August 18) soon changed to enthusiastic praise.
The cause of the grumbling was the doubledeck Leyland Atlantean, straight off service, which turned up in place of the advertised luxury coach. "Always had a nice coach before", and "not much point in booking a seat when they send this", they complained.
En route, however, it dawned on one complaining passenger that if a ,E1 fee could be raised then the bus could be taken into the enclosure, so providing a grandstand view for all. The inevitable hat soon raised the and on the way home I gather some asked if a double-decker could be a permanent feature of all race excursions.