Birmingham's Electric Refuse Collectors Save Money.
Page 42
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The salvage department of Birmingham Corporation has decided to abolish its remaining 70 horse-drawn refusecollecting vehicles and to replace them by electric vehicles, of which it already has 120 in use. In 1922, when only 25 per cent. of the year's refuse was collected by electric vehicles, the cost per thousand premises was 1727 12s. 5d. This year, with electric vehicles doing 73 per cent. of the work, the cost per thousand premises has been reduced to 1579 8s. 2d.
The reduced cost per thousand premises means that the total cost of refuse collecting in 1931 was lower by £53,000 than it would otherwise have been. Apart from the point of view of economy, the electric vehicles are stated to have other advantages.
Aberdeen Buses Have a Good Year. During the past municipal year, the bus services of Aberdeen Corporation were operated at a gross profit of £17,737, revenue having totalled £114,667 and working expenses £96,880. Interest, sinking-fund charges and income tax reduced the profit to £5,865, which is carried to the depreciation and renewals account.
During the year the buses covered an aggregate mileage of 2,668,982. The rolling stock of the corporation comprises 103 vehicles, mainly of Albion and Thornycroft makes.
Seeking to Restrict Traffic.
Recently Middlesex County Council applied to the Ministry of Transport for an Order prohibiting or restricting the use of Thames Street, Sunbury, by heavy motorcars and locomotives.
The application was submitted to the Ministry, when the Minister intimated that it was observed from the memo. prepared by Sunbury Urban District Council, in support of the application, that prohibition is desired to apply to the whole of the road from "Wilford Road to the reservoir, and not merely to Thames Street, as referred to in the county council's resolution. In these circumstances, it will be necessary for the resolution to be amended.
Darlington's Profitable Trolley-buses.
The municipal passenger-transport services at Darlington are maintained wholly by trolley-buses, and during the year ended March 31st, 1932, the vehicles were operated at a gross profit of £14,488. The traffic revenue amounted to £52,677, whilst working expenses totalled £38,189. After meeting interest charges of £4,004, income tax of £2,035 and an amount of £5,056 transferred to the liquidation of loans acdbunt, there was a net profit of 13,393, this being transferred to the reserve account ; the amount in hand on this account is £12,858. Capital expenditure diming the year totalled £6,254.
The trolley-buses operate over a route mileage of 9.57, and serve a population of approximately 72,000. During the year the vehicles carried 10,088,221 passengers, and covered an aggregate mileage of 1,055,429. The number of journeys made per head of population served was 140. Although the corporation owns 32 trolley-buses, the average number of vehicles in use for a 131-hour day was 25.
3324