Higher Fares on Coach Services to London : Councils to Seek More
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THE cost of running express services between the north-east and London had increased by more than £10,000 in a year, Mr. D. F. Deacon, traffic manager of United Automobile Services, Ltd., told the Northern Licensing Authority last week.
The company were authorized to raise fares between London and Stockton and Middlesbrough to £1 as. single (£2 4s. 6d. return) and £1 9s. (£2 6s.) respectively, The existing rates from Stockton were £1 5s. 3d. single and £2 !darn, and from Middlesbrough Cl 5s. 6d. and £2 Os. 6d.
Mr. Deacon said that since fares were last fixed in 1952, wages had risen bY 19.5 per, cent., fuel costs by 19.6 per cent., and depreciation on the special buses employed on the service by 25.9 per cent. The application was designed to bring in an extra £12000 a year.
The chairman of the Authority, Mr. 1. A. T. Hanlon, commented that it was 'a "very modest application." It was little more than enough to cover additional costs, and would not cover any further increase in wages if a grant should be made as a result of negotiations on claims now pending.
Approval for fare inereases designed to bring in an extra £78,100 a year is to be sought from the' city council by Leicester Transport 'Committee: • The transport undertaking :faces an estimated deficit of £80.,000 at the end of the current financial year.
Under the committee's proposals, higher' workers' fares would result in another £22.100. It is also suggested that the 3d. stage be shortened to bring in £28,900, that d. be added to the 2,id. rate (£22,400), and that changes be made in rates on the inner and 'outer circle services (£4,700).
The estimates are based on present traffic. So far this year, the number of passengers travelling in the evenings and at week-ends has shown a decrease of about 21-m.
Wolverhampton to Apply
Wolverhampton Town Council on Monday approved the transport committee's recommendation that they should apply for higher fares. The proposals. which were given in detail in The Commercial Motor last week, are designed to bring in an additional £153.000 a year.