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Poly-centre problem for PTA

30th January 1970
Page 29
Page 29, 30th January 1970 — Poly-centre problem for PTA
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• "Although SELNEC (Greater Manchester) PTA lies in one of the world's major industrial conurbations it is a poly-centre unit", Mr. G. A. Harrison, PTE director-general, told members of the Institution of Civil Engineers in Manchester last week. Manchester did not dominate the region as was the case with the principal city in some other PTAs. In taking over existing fleets the PTE had acquired units ranging from a dozen to 1,200 vehicles, with a wide range of fares and conditions.

The Executive had first of all to organize the operations of what were formerly 11 undertakings into a single entity while still paying due regard to local needs. In the business world generally mergers were recognized as necessarily creating certain problems. SELNEC PTE had set to work on the immediate pattern of management, creating three working divisions and in its general policy endeavouring to balance a human approach with what was logical.

In its take-over it was faced with the prospect of a shortage of finance of the order of E2-1-m at the start of the 1970-71 year and, if it had not decided to increase fares, would quickly have been placed in difficulty by running out of cash. Suggestions had been made that the situation might be improved by a subsidy from the rates but this would require more than a 6d rate increase right across the area. Given this, some districts would have to pay extra rates purely to support services in entirely different areas.

Pricing patterns were greatly distorted by the problem of peak loadings which produced an acute effect on labour costs. Calculations suggested that at the turn of the century public transport would have diminished to about 10 per cent of the total journeys although the decline was likely to flatten out before this stage was reached.

Among other things, increasing highway congestion was likely to influence passengers to return to the railways. The sphere in which public transport was most likely to hold its own was travel between business centres and the outside areas. There was the possibility that some entirely new forms of transport might be injected into the conurbation.

Taking over local rail services was likely to prove a more difficult and intractable problem than that they were facing with the buses. An aspect that they would have to consider was whether some bus operations should be revised so that they would run to railheads; alternatively they might create through bus routes in place of some of the rail services.

In the course of the discussion, Mr. Harrison said he thought there was a great deal of scope for limited stop or express bus services. The Executive proposed to undertake market research before engaging in the provision of further special facilities.

For many years there was not likely to be any practical alternative to the bus. Dislocation of services due to congestion was increasing and if a radical improvement in journey times was wanted a reserved track of one kind or another would be necessary. With wage pressures and inflation generally it might be difficult to maintain the present level of peak operation.

The public were concerned in a way not possible a decade ago with the preservation of environment, and in considering certain aspects of transport, said Mr. Harrison, those responsible had to ask how determined people were that pleasant surroundings should be conserved.


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