IF saves and gains
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• London Regional Transport coped with increased passenger traffic in 1986/87 while reducing its revenue support for its activities by 234 million, according to its latest financial report.
Costs of restructuring and Dial-a-Rides inherited from the old Greater London Council, however, increased its total revenue support bill by 22m million to 299 million.
Unit costs are down 6.2% on LRT's London Buses subsidiary, which reports that its overall passenger kilometres, including tendered services, rose from 4,174 million to 4,387 million. London Buses has reduced its operating losses, before grant, from 2140.2 million to 2119.5 million, and the average passenger load per vehicle has also increased by 6%. After suffering initial problems with industrial disputes LB's service performance has improved further, and by March this year operated mileage was 93% of schedule.
LBL aims to invest between 24 million and 28 million a year on infrastructure renewal — mainly in garage reconstruction — but significantly the latest LRT report makes no reference to any new bus purchases.
Measures taken to reduce the number of attacks on staff seem to be having an effect. LRT chairman Sir Keith Bright says that the number of incidents has fallen for the first time since 1983. Driver screens and the reduced number of conductors on buses have helped, he says.
He hints at future fare increases but he is awaiting guidelines from the Transport Secretary which would allow LRT to form its next business plan and make such decisions.