BRADFORD'S FAR-REACHING BUS PLANS.
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Some Details of the Powers which are Being Sought by the Municipal Authorities.
DETAILS are now available of the powers which the Bradford Tramways Department intend to seek in a Parliamentary Bill to be presented next session. Bradford's activities in regard to passenger transport have met with severe criticism during the last two years, and it is certain that the new proposals will meet with determined opposition from a number of quarters. The Bill will seek powers for the authorities (1) to run omnibus services over a wide area, with through services to Huddersfield, Devvsbury, Halifax, Keighley, Leeds and Ilkley : :(2) to take over the Leeds trolley-bus services in the Wharfedale area; (3) to arrange an interconnecting service of omnibuses with the Keighley Corporation, giving Keighley powers to run into Bradford; also (4) to let out omnibuses for private hire.
Concessions which the Bradford Licensing Committee has persistently refused to private omnibus companies are being sought from Parliament by the city council. Bradford objected to outside bus services being allowed to come into the city on the grounds of congestion, but was compelled to issue licences after a High Court decision. Since the licences were granted a condition has been imposed that vehicles must follow a circuitous route to the bus stand in Victoria Square. The Bradford authorities seek powers for their vehicles to pass into the centres of the towns to which they desire to run services, and to allow Keighley Corporation to run its vehicles into Forster Square, the central position in the city, and to deposit passengers there.
Perhaps the most amazing feature of the proposed Bill is the portion which intimates that it has been agreed, subject to Parliamentary sanction, to take over the Leeds trolley-bus services running from Guiseley. In this connection it is interesting to note that only last year the Leeds authorities endeavoured to get Parliament to sanction very ambitious motorbus and trolleybus extension schemes, and Parliament declined to give its approval. The trolley-bus routes referred to are from the Leeds tramway terminus at Guiseley to Otley and to Burley, services which have been running for some time, and on the route from Guisteley to Bandon Bridge, the Bradford tramway terminus, on which Leeds has had powers which have not been exercised.
Powers are sought to run in the city of Leeds, the boroughs of Pudsey, Batley, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Keighley and Brighouse, the urban districts of Shipley, Bingley, Calverley, Farsley, Hunsworth, Birkenshaw, Spenborough, Birstall, Hipperholme, Shelf, Baildon, Burley in Wharfedale, and Ilkley, and the rural districts of Keighley, Halifax and Wharfedale.
The routes proposed for motor omnibums are : To Keighley (Cavendish Street), via Shipley and Bingley ; to Leeds (City Square), via Pudsey, Farnley and Wortley; to Dewsbury (Market Place), via 'llunsworth and Heckmondwike ; to Dewsbury (Market Place), via Spenborough and Heckmond-svike ; to Huddersfield (Lord Street), via Brighouse and Hipperholme ; to Halifax (Norlhgate), via Hipperholme, Stump Cross and North Bridge; to Halifax (Northgate) via Shelf ; to Shipley (Saltaire Road), via Leeds
Road, Bridge Street, Briggate and Commercial Street ; to Baildon, Eldwick and Bingley, via Shipley ; to Ilkley (Leeds Road), via Shipley, Hawks-worth Lane and Burley Wood Head; to Ilkley (Leeds Road), via Burley.
The Bill proposes to give powers to the Keighley Corporation to provide, equip, work and run omnibuses on the route from Cavendish Street, via Bradford Road, Bingley, Shipley, Manniugham Lane, Cheapsitie, to Forster Square. Another provision is in regard to the adaptation, alteration, reconstruction or strengthening of any bridges or roads on such routes. The scheme is certainly Most ambitious.