Another £60,000 for Doncaster
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FARE increases designed to yield Doncaster Corporation £60,000 in a full year were described as unreasonable by the objectors, the Doncaster and Thorne rural district councils. at Leeds, last week.
Mr. T. Bamford, the general manager, said the corporation's last application, in 1953, was the first in their history. Their policy was to finance bus purchase out of revenue, and for this purpose present reserves of £20,000 were too low.
Interest on a loan of £4,000 for 12 years was £1,766. This year £56,934 was required for vehicles, and it was estimated that costs would rise by £30,000. An adequate reserve was 11,000 per vehicle, and they needed £110,000 on this basis.
It was proposed to raise the minimum fare to 2d., to increase most other fares up to 3d. by 4.d., and higher rates by ld., to abolish workmen's fares and to withdraw contract tickets on colliery workers' services. If the application was refused, reserves would he down to £10,000 in 1957. Their fares, even with the increase, were the lowest of any municipal undertaking in Yorkshire. The objectors submitted that if the corporation purchased buses out ol loan a fares increase would be unnecessary. They would not be in financial difficulties if it was refused, and the building of a big reserve balance was not required. If granted the Corporation would have a surplus of £43,597 after paying for buses.
Granting the application, the chairman, Maj. F. S. Eastwood, commented that it was ridiculous to pay the highinterest on loans. It had been their policy to recommend all authorities to have reserves for purchase..
In the face of opposition by Durham City Council, Durham District Services, Ltd., were granted fare increases by the Northern Licensing Authority. For the company, it was stated that the application was made to "tidy up" the situation caused by increases recently granted to other bus operators in the area.
The chairman, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, said the increases were moderate and that the company would have been justified in asking for higher rates.
A 2d. minimum fare is among proposed increases which have been approved. by Liverpool City Council.