News of Municipal Activities
Page 41
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Harrier Bus Chassis For South Africa.
Keener Motors, Ltd., has in production at its works at Huddersfield 10 double-deck bus chassis of the Monitor type, recently ordered by the Johannesburg municipality. Four of the chassis are being equipped with Gardner sixcyliudered oil engines, whilst the remainder will have six-cylindered petrol engines of Karrier manufacture. The power units are to be adjusted for service at an average altitude of 5,600 ft.
As these chassis are to carry 60seater bodies—these will be constructed by Johannesburg, bodybuilders—the wheelbase of each is being extended to 17 ft., and the completed vehicles will have an overall length of 27 ft. The tyre equipment will comprise 36-in. by S-in. high-pressure tyres at the front and 38-in. by 9-in, low-pressure twins at the rear.
Parking Scheme Turned Down.
The ,parking committee of Newbury Corporation has considered a petition signed by 114 property owners and occupiers of shops in Northbrook Street and the Broadway, suggesting the pro vision of a municipal motor park in the Broadway, and has been unable to meet the request. The long-distance coach companies, the vehicles of which stop at the Broadway, are satisfied with the facilities now afforded.
The town planning committee is recommended to give consideration to the provision of a motor park at the northern end of the town in the preparation of any plan of prospective developments in that locality.
Passenger Transport Costing, The 11th National Cost Conference, arranged by the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants, was recently held at York, when Councillor A. H. Gledhill, J.P., chairman of the Halifax Tramways and Motor Omnibus Committee, read a paper on "Municipal Passenger Transport Costing."
The author reviewed the progress made by the tramways system; and dealt in a comprehensive manner with the different methods of 'costing, emphasizing that competition at. the present time was so keen and the claims of alternative modes of transport so
strong thai it would he unsafe to recommend a longer term than 15 years, under present conditions, for any track renewals.
Councillor Gledhill also dealt with bus costing, and suggested an improved standard form of accounts, in which expenses were classified under (a) standing or fixed charges, .(13) time charges (speed) and (c) mileage charges (cUstnanc)• Municipal Motors and Increased Taxation.
Bootle Corporation finance committee has expressed the opinion that vehicles engaged on refuse-collection, cleansing and other municipal work should be exempt from the proposed additional taxation of motor vehicles, and this decision is to be communicated to the Minister of Transport and the local member of Parliament. Bus Engineer as Speedometer Designer.
In our issue dated September 23 we published an article on the new B.T.H. speedometer. Mr. L. G. Wyndham Shire, chief engineer of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., has taken a great interest in the control of speed of road vehicles, and we understand that the speedometer referred to was designed by the engineers of the British Thompson. Houston Co., Ltd., in collaboration with Mr. Wyndham Shire.
Completionof an Arterial Road.
The May.;r ot Southend recently opened the final link in the arterial road running from London to Southend. The work has been carried out by Southend Cosporation at a cost approaching £30,000, of which amount £20,000 has been expended in providing work for the unemployed.