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SATISFACTORY TROLLEY-BUS EXPERIMENTS.

29th April 1924, Page 22
29th April 1924
Page 22
Page 23
Page 22, 29th April 1924 — SATISFACTORY TROLLEY-BUS EXPERIMENTS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The West, Hartlepool Authorities Now Considering the Complete Substitution of Their Tramway System by Trolley-bus Services.

LESS than two months of actual working have, served to convince the West Hartlepool Corporation of • the extremely satisfactory results which can be obtained from the We of trolley-buses. As described in an article in our issue for March 18th this authority recently substituted trolley-buses for tramcars over the Foggy Furze route, and by so doing not only has the corporation effected a large saving in the way of .. capital expenditure which would have been entailed had the worn-out track been relaid,but, furthermore„ it is convinced that the operation of the more flexible form of vehicle results in a considerable reduction in running casts. Four 36-seater trolley-buses; constructed by Railless, Ltd., are at present engaged in maintaining a 15-minute service over the two miles of route.

The corporation has just. issued a statement to the effect that., from the revenue point of view, the vehicles have, under actual working conditions, fulfilled the promise which had been hoped for from estimates obtained from ether towns. From facts and fignres already obtained it is indicated that there will be a saving of g1,01:0 per annum on the route as compared with the old system.

• Last year the-borough was faced with large deficit on its tramway undertaking, and now, with crime to reducing the corporation's commitments, a special report is being. prepared with respect to the condition Of the remaining tramway tracks, in order to arrive at a solution to the question of making the transpel:t department self-supporting. The tracks, it might be mentioned, were amongst the first laid in the country, and without exception are mostly over due for renewal. •

Furthermore, the lease of the track within the Hartlepool borough boundaries, which the corporation is granted from the General Electric Tramways Co., who -previously owned the undertaking:, expires in August next, and, therefore, the time is particularly opportune for a thorough investigation of the whole transport question. It is by no means unlikely that, following the ex-.

tremely gratifying results obtained from the initial experiment, big extensions of the West. Hartlepool trolley-bus system will be decided upon, especially as the Bill obtained before such vehicles could be operated over the. Foggy Furze route sanctions the operation of similar machines over all the main thoroughfares of the borough.

In the past West Hartlepool residents have been none too well catered for'so. far as passenger transport facilities are concerned, for such large residential areas as Hart Road. York Road, Eli'nick Road, and the West Park districts are now without any service at all, and, with the extension of the trolley-bus system, a circular route to cover these areas could be instituted, and this would 'fill a long-felt want. Without doubt the time has come when the corporation is faced with the necessity for making a certain capital outlay on the provision of improved transport facilities, and, furthermore, with the task of making the department self-supporting instead of, as hitherto, a charge upon the rates. There is a strong -feeling in the town that, by the conversion of the .present system to trackless trolley-bus system, the undertaking could he made to pay its way and relieve the rates considerably, and,. furthermore, long-required extensions could be carried out at a mush less cost than would be the case if the tramcar system was extended. Important developments may be expected prior to the termination of the tramways lease in AugeSti.

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Locations: Hartlepool

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