Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
VARIATIONS IN W.D. COACH HIRING RATES
INFORMATION from different parts Lot the country shows that there are considerable variations in the rates of payment for motor coaches hired to the military authorities, as between one Command and another. There is also a lack of uniformity in the position as to Road Fund licences and third-party insurance. It is understood that the is taking up the question in military quarters.
BID FOR PARES CONCESSION TO SERVICE MEN
BRADFORD Co-operative Party is endeavouring to secure cheaper fares on the local municipal-transport services for men in the Forces. At a recent meeting of the city council, the transport committee would not accede to a request that Service men in uniform and wounded soldiers should be allowed to travel free on the motor
buses, trolleybuses and trams. The local co-operative party is now asking that Service men should he allowed to travel any distance for id.
LOWER MILEAGE BUT HIGHER RECEIPTS AT OLDHAM ABNORMAL lo cal conditions, brought about by the war, were reflected in the report submitted by the general manager at a recent meeting of Oldham Passenger Transport Committee. Subject to adjustments during the four weeks ended July 13, the mileage run during the period was lower by 96,309, although receipts increased by 4.8d. per vehicle mile.
Total receipts for trams and buses Aver: £25,347, contrasted with £24,812 a year earlier, whilst the number of passengers declined from 4,313,896 to 9,265,477. An interesting sidelight on the receipts per vehicle mile is that those in respect of buses increased by 21 per cent., whereas, in the case of trams, the increase was 84 per cent.
"RUNNING TO SCHEDULE A SECONDARY CONSIDERATION" ONJuly 26, at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Sheriff Dallas pointed out that running to schedule was a secondary consideration, and that the safety of the public should be the first thought in the mind of a bus driver. He said that " one sometimbs thinks that corporation bus drivers have rather a hard life, and possibly they have. It might run through the minds of some citizens that the time-table is more important than the safety of the general public."
The case concerned Charles Lovie, bus driver, of Aberdeen, who was charged with driving a corporation bus recklessly, or without due care and attention. He denied the charge, but was found guilty of careless driving and was fined £7, with the option of 30 days in prison. A private car driver, with whose vehicle the bus collided, had the charge against him found not proven, the Sheriff remarking that the bus driver should have taken the time and trouble to keep on the left side of the white traffic line when taking a right-hand turn.
"ALDERSHOT AND DISTRICT"' EARNS MORE
NET profit of the Aldershot and District Traction Co., Ltd., for the year ended May 31 last, was £51,741, which compares with £35,780 in the previous year. The dividend is raised from 8 per cent. to 10 per cent, and the reserve receives an allocation of £20,000, as against £10,000.
"EAST KENT" FARES PROPOSALS
BECAUSE of increases in operating and administrative costs, the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., is, we learn, taking steps to raise bus fares. It is proposed that the present Id. fare should be increased to lid. and the lid. stages to 2d,, and that the minimum charge for season tickets should be £1 15s. for three months, which will cover up to a 4d. single fare stage. The suggestions put forward have the concurrence of Ramsgate Town Council.
RECEIPTS AT BLACKPOOL UP BY
£8,000
BLACKPOOL Transport Department reports an increase of over £8,000 in receipts during the past three months, compared with the corresponding period of 1939. Owing to prevailing conditions, train revenue advanced by £12,700, whilst bus receipti declined by £4,696. Trams carried 1,585,842 more passengers (total 9,630,006) and buses 914,274 fewer passengers (total 8,157,847).
GRIMSBY'S FIRST PROFIT ON BUSES
LAST year's profit on the transport undertaking of Grimsby Corporation is the first that has been made since the municipality took over the tOwn's transport 13 years ago. As was mentioned in our issue for last week, the actual net profit on the trolleybus and motorbus undertaking amounted to
£302. Before the outbreak of war, there was every indication that a considerable improvement would result in the working of the undertaking during the year ended March 31 last, but the abnormal conditions prevailing since have affected all departments.
Nevertheless, the profit of £302 for the past year is a great improvement on the previous year's deficit of over £3,000. The excision of various unremunerative and unnecessary routes and all-round rigid economies have been the main factors responsible for the change.
L.P.T.B. NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS FALL
coR the information of Mr. Sorensen, 1 it was stated in the House of Conimons, last week, that the accidents in which L.P.T.B. road vehicles were involved from the end of January to the beginning of July in 1939 and 1940, respectively, were as follow:—
In respect of the totals for fatal accidents, there has been a small increase (18 per cent.), the figure for the later period being 66 as compared with 56. This applies to all classes except coaches which, obviously because of the reduction in their number, show a drop from seven to two. In the 1940 period trolley-buses were concerned in 14 fatal accidents, as opposed to seven a year earlier; central buses in 36—six more than in the corresponding 1939 period; trams in nine, and country buses in five—one more in both cases.
A drop of 27.7 per cent, is shown by the totals for non-fatal accidents involving personal injury. The figures for the 1939 and 1940 periods being, respectively, 8,623 and 6,246. There has been an improvement in all classes. Trolleybuses recorded a reduction from 2,054 to 2,012; trams from 1,740 to 1,147; central buses from 4,328 to 2,790; coaches from 176 to 31; and country buses from 325 in the 1939 period to 266 a year later.
NEW TRANSPORT OFFICES FOR BURTON
NEW offices for the transport undertaking of Burton-on-Trent Corporation were officially opened, on July 24, by the Mayor, and, at the opening ceremony, a parade of the corporation's new buses was included. The new building comprises a two-storey block of offices, and the layout includes well-appointed messrooms. The first floor is devoted to administration duties, there being a lecture room for the use of the department.
PROFIT AT PORTSMOUTH SWALLOWED UP
DTIRING the year ended March 31 last, there was a gross profit of £93,839 on the passenger-transport undertaking of Portsmouth Corporation, this being an increase of £18,047 on the previous year's return. The actual net surplus was £13,746, which, added to the £1,360 brought forward from the previous year, gives a total of £15,106, which, in normal times, would have been available for reserve or appropriation.
The city treasurer recommended that account should be taken of the incometax charge for the year 1939-40, which, in the ordinary course, would be payin 1941. and an amount to cover repairs and renewals, necessarily postponed. These' items are estimated to total £26,500, so that, after deducting the net surplus, there is a debit balance of £11,394 to carry forward.
Alderman W. S. R. Pugsley, chairman of the-transport committee, thinks that this new policy in covering all known charges during the period in which they are actually incurred, is sound, although the decision imposes a heavy burden on the income and resources of the undertaking.