Coach Costing Too Haphazard
Page 53
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HAPHAZARD methods of costing were criticized by Mr. F. Williamson, chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, at Manchester on Monday, when Mrs. M. Capper, Barnton, Northwich, applied for a revision of excursion fares. The North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., made representations concerning a proposed reduction in the fare to Rhyl.
Mrs. Capper said she wished to reduce the Rhyl fare from 8s. 9d. to 8s. 6d., to bring it into line with a fare reduction granted in July to Mr. E. C. Bowyer, Northwich. Passengers from Barnton had this year refused to pay 8s. 9d. and no excursions had been run.
Barnton was about 40 miles from Southport. 50 from Rhyl, and 60 from Blackpool. Mr. Williamson pointed out that the suggested fares of 6s. 6d., 8s. 6d., and 9s., and the existing ones of 5s. 9d., 85. 9d., and 8s. 3d., respectively, showed that Mrs. Capper was not working out her costings properly.
Mr. W. Woolley, for North Western, said that, although there was a common fare schedule for the area, there was a variation between Barnton and Northwich fares. When Mrs. Capper applied to add Rhyl to her destinations in 1952, she produced no evidence of need, but the company did not press their objection because the proposed fare of 8s. 9d., and the limiting of journeys to Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, prOtected their NorthwichRhyl express service, on which the dayreturn fare was then 7s. 6d.
The 12] per cent, increase granted this year had raised it to 8s. 6d., and Mrs. Capper had refused to fall into line. A protection of at least 9d. should be maintained. Mr. Bowyer had run excursions to Rhyl for at least 25 years, and his case was somewhat different.
Mr. Williamson said they were prepared to authorize a fare of 8s. 6d. for 1957 only. Mrs. Capper must keep records of her operations and if there was any abstraction from the express service the fare would be put back to the original figure. The increases would be granted.