Passenger Transport News
Page 33
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NATIONALIZATION THREAT: S.M.T. PAYS BIGGER DIVIDENDS
S0 far as he was aware, no one in the industry had been consulted about nationalization, Sir William]. Thomson, chairman of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., told stockholders on December 27, at the annual 'general meeting of the company in Edinburgh. He continued: "But one fine day we may wake up to find that our very successful business, built up over 41 years with great enterprise, has been taken over, in whole or in part, to be run by people who know nothing about it, and all to bolster up a political ideology."
Saying that the profit on the parent company's own operations was a record one, Sir William also declared: "1 cannot pass this part of the accounts without remarking on the staggering amount paid away in taxation—namely, £1,043,764."
Commenting on the proposed increase in dividetid, Sir William said: "There is now no incentive—or, at any rate, a very diminished incentive—to save for the future, and, in any case, we have ample funds to take full advantage of all the opportunities for expansion which may come our way."
GLASGOW WATCHING TRANSPORT BILL
rIA SPECIAL committee of Glasgow Corporation was appointed on December 23 to watch the city's interests in Parliament in connection with the Transport Bill. Reports from the• transport manager and the city chamberlain indicated the possible harmful effects of the Bill on the Glasgow undertaking.
The manager's report stated that it was unlikely that the Government would make any contribution to the Common Good Fund on the transfer of the undertaking. He called attention also to the provision which allows the British Transport Commission to determine fares.
The city chamberlain reported that the proposed terms provide no actual compensation to the corporation for the loss of the undertaking.
"In the normal course," he added, " there may be some grounds for the argument that the undertaking belongs not to the local authority but to the public, and that the nationalization proposals involve merely a change from one form of public owner:hip to another, but in Glasgow the position is unique in respect that the Glasgow Corporatibn Act of 1909 lays down the condition that the tramway undertaking shall be part of the Common Good • of the city."
EMPLOYEES REFUSE TO WORK CHRISTMAS
THE entire fleet of the West Riding HE Co., Ltd., which operates numerous bus services centred on Wakefield, was immobilized by the employees' refusal to work on Christmas Day. Fortunately, J. Bullock and Sons (028), Ltd., which, to a large
• extent, operates over the same area, was able to provide a full service from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rotherham Corporation's' services were also idle on Christmas Day, because of a dispute about service hours. The transport committee fixed 1 p.m. to 9 P.m. as the hours, but the employees declined to work except between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Huddersfield Corporation's passenger transport employees refused to work the night services which had been arranged for Christmas Day. In accordance with their decision by ballot vote, they worked services from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
NEWCASTLE FARES INCREASE DUE THE. annual report of Newcastle-on Tyn e Corporation's transport department states that gross revenue, at £1,187,130, was £24,447 above the figure for the previous year, but working expenses, at £999,516, were £78,540 higher.
Wage increases were the chief cause of the higher costs, although higher commodity prices contributed. To raise fares was the only means for meeting the extra costs, says the report. Current fares were fixed 30 years ago and, having regard to present-day price levels, a revision of fares was undoubtedly due, the department considered: The larger part of the reserve fund was earmarked to purchase 36 trolleybuses. Total capital expenditure was £2,651,426, on which there was a capital debt of £196,900.
During the year the transport undertaking carried 173,000,000 passengers, or 50,000,000 more than in 1939.
MIDLAND SERVICE TRANSFER?
TI-I•E East Midland Licensing Autho
rity has received an application from A.T.O., Ltd., of Normanton, for permission to-take over four bus services now run 'by Messrs. H. Mee, of Pinxton.
TROLLEYBUS AND MOTORBUS COSTS COMPARED
BOLTON TOWN COUNCIL has been recommended to approve the decision of the transport committee in favour of providing trolleybuses on suitable routes. The committee considered reports from a special deputation which has visited towns all over the country, and a memorandum from the general manager, Mr. A. A. Jackson.
Mr. Jackson said that the estimated operating costs per vehicle-mile for trolleybuses were I8.2d., and for oilengined buses 17.45d. With the addition of capital charges, the cost per mile would be 2I.53d. for trolleybuses and 20.64d. for oilers.
Mr. Jackson estimated that to provide the necessary overhead line equipment at current prices and to supply two new tower wagons would cost £39,100. This would involVe • capital charges amounting to 0.22d. per vehiclemile, which is included in the total of 21.53d. For six-wheeled trolleybuses the total operating costs would be 22.63d. per vehicle-mile.
Mr. Jackson stated that the additional costs would be offset by the extra revenue which the six-wheeled trolleybuses would earn.
PUNCTURE DELAYS BUS: COMPANY ACQUITTED I N Stornoway Sheriff Court recently, the Hebridean Transport Co., Ltd., was charged with wilfully or negligently failing to make a scheduled run. Several prospective passeogers told the Court how they had waited for the bus and it had failed to arrive.
The bus started to make the run at the proper time, but there were two punctures in one of the tyres. 'I he driver attempted to repair them and the run was made about an hour late.
Mr. John MacMillan, managing director, said that the buses did not carry spare wheels. Tyres and tubes were in such short supply that the company had only one spare wheel amongst its nine buses. If it fitted all the buses with spare wheels, it would have to put some vehicles off the road and curtail its runs.
Finding the accused not guilty, Sheriff Murray said it was clearly in the public, interest that these buses should carry at least one spare wheel, and if it were a matter of adjusting services with the Licensing Authority, that should be done. if, because there was no spare wheel, a run were not made, the company would be in breach of the law.