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RAILWAY FIGHTS SOUTHPORT ON PROPOSED FARES REDUCTIONS
PRUFUS:US by Southport Corporation to reduce local bus fares were opposed by the L.M.S. Railway Co., before the North Western Traffic Commissioners at Liverpool last week. For the corporation it was said that the application was for a general reduction of bus fares on the corporation undertaking. The reductions were possible owing to the profits made by the department over the past few years. The proposed reductions were being made solely with a view to benefiting passengers and there was no idea in the corporation's mind of making competition keener.
For the L.M.S. it was asked: " Why cannot you continue to benefit ratepayers as a whole rather than the fare
paying public? " The corporation replied that it was adoing both and hoped to continue so doing.
You are not dropping the rate aid? " asked Sir William Chamberlain, chairman of the Commissioners. " Certainly not, Rather, possibly, the other way " was the reply.
The railway company asked if there had been any public demand for the reduction. Sir William Chamberlain: " We should not be impressed by that, because, not infrequently, we have to prompt corporations. When we find there is a large sum of money being allocated to the rates, we prompt corporations to reduce fares because the Commissioners, in general, do not approve of the payment of balances in other directions as against reductions of fares to the public."
It e as submitted, on behalf of the I..IVI.S., that the reduction in bus fares would have a deleterious effect on the company, Sir William Chamberlain said that the Commissioners realized that, in a
sen,->e, tine bus services could be competitive with the railway services, but whether this constituted wasteful competition was another matter.
Unfortunately for the railway company, and perhaps unfortunately for its problem, in providing facilities for people to reach Ainsdale and Southport railway stations, the bus service provided a link to points between the two stations, and this was competitive from the railway point of view. How were they going to get over that difficulty 7 For the U.M.S. it was said that, if the corporation will he content to maintain its present fares, the railway company would be perfectly happy.
Sir Willir,rn pointed out that the cheaper it was for the people to reach the railway station, the better it was for the rnilway company. The whole problem hinged on whether the bus services were competitive or feeder.
The railway company, it was said, did not want to appear unreasonable in the matter, but it had been faced with this prohlem:—"Are these bus services valuable as feeder services, or are they competitive?"
The chairman said that the Commissioners would require particulars of the passengers and receipts on the respective routes over the past three years. In particular, they would like, if possible, in respect to each route, the proportion of the longer-distance fares to the competitive stations as a whole.
" We want," he added, " to test the position very carefully as to whether the bus service is feeder traffic compared with competitive—what proportion of the routes is competitive, and what proportion non-competitive." The Commissioners reserved their decision.
STOCKTON EARNS A SURPLUS OF £12426
THE transport undertaking of Stock1 ton-on-Tees Corporation earned a surplus, during the year ended March 31, of £12,526. The total income was £131,757 and the working eXpenses £94,926. From the balance, Loan charges of £7,426 on the buses, and 12,893 on the old trams, in addition to income tax amounting to £3,986, has been deducted. The loan debt on the undertaking amounts to £9,709 on the buses, and £119,212 on the trains. The surplus has been transferred to the reserve fund.
WESTERN S.M.T. ACQUIRES NEW SERVICES.
ONE of the few remaining small %/operators in Ayrshire—Doon Motor Services—was taken over by the Western S.M.T. on June 24.
Doon Motor Services operated between Ayr and Dalmellington, Burnfoothill, Rankinston and Benwhat.
IPSWICH BALANCES ITS BUDGET.
AT a .meeting of Ipswich Town Council last week, the annual report of the transport department revealed that the income for the year was £.111,478, an increase of £8,324 on the previous year's working. The number of passengers carried had increased by 999,982 to 18,973,845, and at the same time, due to better arrangement of services, the bus mileage had decreased by 2,490 miles to 2,331,187. The accounts showed a small surplus on the year of £265, compared with a considerable deficit last year.
GLASGOW TO CELEBRATE 45TH ANNIVERSARY.
THE 45th anniversary of the establishment of Glasgow's municipal transport services will be celebrated on July I., when Mr. Robert F. Smith, the general manager of the transport department, and Mr. Thomas Friel, an inspector, the only two employees with continuous service during the period, will receive special recognition from the transport committee.
There are 9,145 employees, but all those who started 45 years ago have been superannuated, with the exception of Messrs. Smith and Friel, who entered the service as boys.
Fares in Glasgow are claimed to be the cheapest in the world, and include an 18-mile run for 2id.