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BUS PROBLEMS IN THE WEST RIDING.

28th December 1926
Page 62
Page 62, 28th December 1926 — BUS PROBLEMS IN THE WEST RIDING.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Latest Activity in Private and Municipal Circles Where Interesting Developments are Foreshadowed.

OMNIBUS licensing questions still continue to attract public attention in the West Riding of Yorkshire, where the network of inter-town sAvices has been extended at a remarkable rate end where private and municipal interests continue to clash. Bradford is faced with an appeal by the Premier Transport Co. (Keighley), Ltd., which has now behind it the influence of the Harrogate Road Car Co., Ltd. The hearing has been fixed to take place on January 4th.

The Premier Co. has inaugurated a service between Keighley and Bradford, using the latest model 31-seater TillingStevens vehicles with a 20-minute interval on a route on which the buses are allowed 50 minutes to do the journey. The route is covered from 6 a.m. to 11 rim., some of the vehicles coming through to Keighley from Oakworth and Silsden. A call is made at Bingley, where the vehicles have been licensed in connection with the Bingley to Keighley service on which route the company has • as a competitor the Keighley Corporation. On the road to 'Bradford the company's buses are not allowed to pick up passengers, either in the Shipley urban district or the Bradford city area, and in Bradford the terminus is on private land, at the Empire Garage. The route runs from a mile on the Kelghle_y side of Bingley entirely along the Bradford Corporation tram route. Consequently Bradford cannot be expected to show any enthusiasm for encouraging a competitor, although it is an in teresting fact that the Bradford and Keighley municipal authorities have made arrangements to run a joint omnibus service between the two places, provided the sanction of Parliament can be secured to the Parliamentary Bill which Bradford is to present next session.

The petrol omnibuses are much more attractive to passengers than the tramcars and do the journey in less time. Moreover, there is a good deal of dissatisfaction amongst residents on that portion of the route along which the company cannot pick up passengers. This has resulted in a petition being widely signed urging that the necessary powers shall be given to the company. The most galling part of the procedure to would-be passengers is that the buses stop to pick up passengers who have return tickets and can stop at places where buses for other destinations, which are licensed in Bradford, are not allowed to stop. Many times per day the vehicles stop to pick up someone who has to be set down again if he or she has not the necessary ticket.

Huddersfield is one of the places which the Bradford authorities hope to serve ,when they get the powers they are seeking, but the Ministry of Transport has just refused the application of Huddersfield Corporation for powers to extend its omnibus service from the Bradford city boundary to the centre of the city. The attitude of the Ministry towards the Bradford Bill, may possibly be judged from this decision. On the other hand, the Bradford authorities have had an application from a private company to provide a service from Bradford to Huddersfield, but in view of the Ministry refusing Huddersfield's application, the licensing committee has not issoed the licences, it being pointed out that if the route is not suitable for a municipal service it is not suitable for a private service.

The Halifax authorities are much perturbed by the Ministry's refusal to sanction the opening of the route to Rochdale, and had a deputation in London with a view to the matter being reopened. They received a promise that the matter would again be brought before the Minister. Meanwhile, they have decided that, until some decision is arrived at, the service shall continue, and it is stated that the returns obtained on the route have been entirely satisfactory. The Halifax authorities have a similar application pending with regard to the Oldham route.

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Organisations: Ministry of Transport
Locations: Halifax, London

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