LATEST NEWS FROM THE TRAFFIC AREAS
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TWO NEW SHORT AIR LINERS FOR IMPERIAL AIRWAYS.
AS a result of the growth of traffic on the London-Paris service, Imperial Airways, Ltd., has ordered two Short Brothers aircraft, each accommodating 38 passengers and four operatives. The machines will supplement four HandleyPage Heracles biplanes.
The new air liners will be built on the same lines as the Scipio flying boats constructed by Short Brothers (Rochester and Bedford), Ltd., for service on the Mediterranean section of the Imperial Airways route to India. The hull will be replaced by a fuselage and undercarriage, and each machine will probably be equipped with four Bristol Jupiter 555 h.p. engines.
A description of this type of air-craft, which is usually known as the Kent, will be found elsewhere in this issue in our new aviation supplement. PRIVATE CARS AS COACHES. ALLEGATIONS have been made that
coach operators have lost a considerable amount of business on the Wolverhampton-Blackpool route, owing to competition from operators of private Cars carrying passengers for payment. The West Midland Commissioners have stated that they are prepared to take action against these persons.
MORE FRENCH SUBURBAN COACH SERVICES.
SOME months ago we annotinced the
inauguration by the Citroen Co. of coach services between Paris and a number of towns lying within a 40-50mile radius of the French capital. We now learn that it is planned to establish similar services throughout Prance, five new companies having been formed, with registered capital, ranging from £14,000 to £23,550 (current exchange). DERBY'S BIG SCHEME FOR TRAMWAYS ABANDONMENT.
IMPORTANT proposals for the abandonment of tramways are on hand at Derby, where the corporation has already made considerable progress in this direction.
During the forthcoming financial year, it is proposed to spend £110,000 on the substitution of trolley-buses for trams. Amongst the schemes are the replacement and extension of several tramways by trolley-bus services, and, in one ease, temporarily, by motor bus working. It is expected that, early next year, the whole of the trams will be abandoned.
If the municipal authority exercises its full powers, the old tramway tracks, 14 miles long, will give way to a 25-mile trolley-bus system. At present, the trolley vehicles cover 91 miles, and the petrol buses 23 nailes. RAILWAYS SECURE LIMIT ON COACH SERVICES.
NEARLY all the Manchester and dis trict coach owners are affected by the decision of the Minister of Transport on appeals of the railway companies against the granting of licences by the North-Western Traffic Commissioners to members of the local branch of the C.M.U.A. and the Transport Owners Association.
The railway companies contended that the Commissioners had accepted, or were proposing to accept, in effect, a scheme framed by the coach owners, without adequate regard to its possible sequence.
The Ministry has therefore decided that the Commissioners should include among the conditions to be attached to the licences of 34 operators working regular services between Manchester and district and Blackpool, and 61 operators of excursions and tours from Manchester and district, a provision limiting the maximum number of journeys to 20 destinations.
M.H.C.S.A. WANTS L.P.T. BILL REFERRED BACK.
EFFORTS are being made by the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association to have the London Passenger Transport Bill referred back to a select committee of the Lords, with the Tight for petitioners against the measure to have a hearing. The Association's petition was presented in the House of Lords last Wednesday.
U.A.S. TAKES OVER LONDON NEWCASTLE SERVICE.
THE Metropolitan Traffic Commis sioner has granted United Automobile Services, Ltd., a licence to run a daily London-Newcastle service, from June 1 to October 31 next. The service was previously operated by County Motor Services, Ltd., with which company the U.A.S. entered into a provisional egreement.
EXPRESS-SERVICE CONDITION ON EXCURSION LICENCES.
WE are informed that the Metro politan Traffic Commissioner has been attaching to excursion and tour licences granted to operators of services to dog-race meetings, a condition to the effect that the services must be run on the occasion of every meeting. Moreover, passengers may be picked up only at the terminal points.
This action ODORS up a new subject of controversy, because it would appear that the privilege of the excursion and tour licence is eliminated by the condition governing regular running, making it tantamount to an expressservice licence.
ACT STRONGLY CRITICIZED.
STRONG criticisms of the "cumbrous and expensive" methods of administering the Road Traffic Act were voiced at a meeting in Manchester last Friday of the Lancashire Non-County Boroughs Association. In a memorandum prepared by Mr. J. Entwistle, town clerk of Morecambe and Heysham, instances were given of the way the borough had suffered by the advantage taken by private operators of the privilege of appealing against Commissioners' decisions, and the delay and expense of the proceedings. Tribute was paid to the manner in which Mr. W. Chamberlain and his lay colleagues carried out their difficult duties.
It was pointed out that the corporation was at a distinct disadvantage, as compared with the private operator, who is able to go straight to the Traffic Commissioners with a licence application, whereas the corporation must first apply for a consent under Part V of the Act, before lodging an application.
In the case cited in the memorandum, despite an Order made by the Minister himself, in the first instance, approved by both Houses of Parliament, and consented to by the Commissioners, it was eventually blocked by the Minister, and the application was barred.
Mr. R. M. Middleton, town clerk of Lancaster and secretary of the Association, referring to the fact that Ribble Motor. Services, Ltd., in its latest annual report, included asum of £4,000 for counsel's fees, remarked that if appeals could be heard and decided on (the sprit Erne and money would be saved.
A resolution was adopted expressing the view that a prima-facie case had been made out for a revision of the pro cedure laid down by Part IV of the Act, also a greater power should be vested in local authorities to decide questions, arising out of road passenger traffic, which have a purely local significance. It was decided to ask the law committee of the Association to formulate coucrete suggestions for revising the procedure, especially as to appeals.
L,C.C. AND L.P.T. BILL.. AT a meeting of the London County Council on Tuesday, Mr. C. Latham asked if the statement made in the House of Commons by Sir W. Davison, that the council was opposed to the third reading of the London Passenger Transport Bill, was correct. Sir Cyril Cobb replied that such a statement was a misrepresentation of the facts.
ANOTHER CONTRACT CASE. ON Monday last the magistrates at Penzance fined Mr. G. Ford, of Penzance, for having used a public-service vehicle as an express carriage, between Penzance and Plymouth, on December 2, without a licence. He was prosecuted by the Western Traffic Commissioners.
For the prosecution, it was stated that, at a boxing match at Penzance, Mr. Ford announced that he proposed to run a coach to Plymouth, on December 2, to a contest. He gave, it was said, the impression that anyone who wished could travel for 6s. 6d. return fare. The vehicle was hired from the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., and collected separate fares.
For the defence, it was unsuccessfully contended that this was contract work. FEES TO BE PAID WITH LICENCE APPLICATIONS?
A HINT has been given that the
Southern Scotland Traffic Commissioners might ask Parliament to make it obligatory for the 'appropriate fee to be paid along with a licence application. Mr. A. Henderson, chairman of the Commissioners, mentioned this at a sitting last Friday as a possible solution of the difficulty created by operators withdrawing applications without giving adequate notice. It is Mr. Henderson's suggestion that, should the application be withdrawn, the fee should be forfeited.
He outlined several cases in which great inconvenience had been caused through the withdrawal of applications without adequate notice.
BOOKING AGENTS' DINNER LAST NIGHT.
THE third annual dinner and dance of the Booking Agents Association of Great Britain, Ltd., 'was held in London last night. The speakers included Mr. E. F. Bailey, chairman of the Association, Mr. T. E. Howard, M.P., Mr. P. G. Goodman, vice-chairman, Mr. Gleason Robinson, Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner, Mr. Rowane Harker, chairman of the South-Eastern Traffic Commissioners, Mr. J. P. Marshall, Mrs. T. Morris and Mr. F. P. PhipardShears, honorary secretary of the social committee of the Association. About 250 persons attended the dinner.
COMBINED LONDON-LIVERPOOL SERVICE NOW WORKING.
WE are advised by the General Travel Agency (London), Ltd., that the combined Red and White and MacShane's service from London to Liverpool is now in full operation, providing regular day-and-night transport facilities between the two cities. Leyland Tiger coaches, with lavatory accommodation and interior heating, are employed.
MINIMUM-FARE CONDITION TEMPORARILY WAIVED.
THE Minister of Transport has an nounced his decision on an appeal by Edward Hillman's Saloon Coaches, Ltd., against the ruling of the Eastern Traffic Commissioners that a minimum fare of 6d. must be charged on the company's services from Bow to Chelmsford and from Brentwood to Romford.
The Minister directs that fares below 6d. should be allowed until April 3, by which date the Commissioners will have had an opportunity for deciding applications for increased stage-carriage services.
LIMIT ON LONDON TAXIS?
AT a conference, held last Monday, be tween the taxicab trade and the Home Secretary, it was suggested that taxicab licences should not be renewed until conditions improve. No further progress was made with the proposal to increase the initial hiring fee from 6d. to 9d.
LEEDS BUS STATION?
LEEDS Watch Committee is recom mended by the traffic advisory committee to establish a central bus station on a site at New York Street and St. Peter's Street. OFFER TO PURCHASE NORTHAMPTON'S SYSTEM?
RUMOURS are circulating around Northampton that the United Counties Omnibus and Road Transport Co., Ltd., is considering offering to take over Northampton's transport services.
Representatives of the municipal authority have denied any knowledge of the proposal, whilst directors of the company have stated that they are not in a position to make a public announcement. It has been reported that £5,000 a year was mentioned as the fee payable to the corporation for the privilege of running the service. The municipality has experienced a loss of over £5,000 for the year.
The United Counties concern is controlled by Thomas Tilling, Ltd., and has a share capital of £150,000; it operates a fleet of vehicles numbering about 155 buses. Northampton Corporation works seine 50 vehicles.
TOO MUCH REVENUE!
SIX schemes for making up the
.balance on Aberdeen Corporation's accounts, following the increase in the Pike of petrel, have been investigated, and five of them have been found to bring in more revenue than necessary. This remarkable fact was revealed at a sitting of the Northern Scotland Traffic Commissioners, when it was decided that certain increases in seasonticket rates should be made.
LANCASTER STATION CHARGES INCREASED BY 50 PER CENT. • LANCASTER Corporation has revised the charges payable by private bits operators, including Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., fur the use of the bus station during the year commencing April 1 next. The charges have been increased in each case by 50 per cent., having regard to the capital expenditure in connection with the acquisition and adaptation of property acquired for the purpose of the statiod and municipal motor park.
2,500 MILES WITH GAS BUS.
DURING the annual general meeting ' of the Newcastle and Gateshead Gas Co., Mr. J. E. Cowen, the chairman, outlined the progress with the experimental operation of a bus on gas fuel. The vehicle hag covered over 2,500 miles, travelling 70-80 miles on a charge.
Mr. Cowen said that the weakness of the bus was, at present, the limited mileage possible on a charge, hut he felt sure that the difficulty would, in time, be overcome by raising the pressure at which the gas is stored and increasing the number of stared cyliefders.
T-Cr.W.U. OBJECTS TO GRANTING OF LICENCE.
AN unusual feature of an application
by the Provincial Tramways Co., Ltd., Cleethorpes, to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners, last week, was the objection of the Transport and General Workers' Union to the granting of a licence. It was contended that the conditions of employment by the company were unfair.
Mr. J. H. Stirk said that it was the first case of its kind to come before the Commissioners, and the matter was left for discussion between the company and the Union. Mr. tirk said that if no 1344 agreement was reached, a transcript of the shorthand notes taken would be sent to the chief conciliatory officer of the Board of Trade.
FEWER TRAMS AT BRADFORD.
THE tramways committee of Bradford Corporation has accepted the recommendation of the manager that the Tong Cemetery-Drighlington tramway route be replaced by a bus service.
MORE FARES FOR TOURS.
GAZETTE 69 of the Western Traffic Commissioners contains a long list of proposed fares for whole-day, halfday and special " three-hour" or evening tours from Plymouth.
GAS BUSES FOR ACCRINGTON?
THERE is believed to be a possibility of Accrington Corporation running buses using compressed gas as fuel, the operations being carried out in conjunction with the Accrington District Gas and Water Board and the Lancashire Foundry Coke Co.
PUBLIC COMPANY TO TAKE OVER PRIVATE SERVICES.
THE AustralianGovernment proposes
to form a public-utility corporation to take over the bus and tram services in Sydney. The undertaking will be free from Government direction, except in connection with increases in fares, or the conduct of certain developmental services.
BUS SERVICE REFUSED.
A DEPUTATION from Church Urban
District Council has made representations to the Accrington authority with regard to a suggested resumption of the former bus service from Oswaldtwistle to Great Harwood. The latter body does not, however, feel that the request is justified.
LLANELLY'S TROLLEY-BUS SYSTEM NEARLY READY.
THE annual report of the Llanelly and District Electric Supply Co., states that the complete new trolley-bus service is about to be inaugurated, the conversion having been commenced last year.
DUPLICATION OPPOSED.
THE Herne Bay licensing authority has considered an application by Mr. W. P. Garnett to operate a bus service between Herne Bay and Reculver. It is stated that this would duplicate the service that the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., is providing, at the request of the council, from July 1 to September 20 next. An objection to the application is, therefore, to be lodged. BASES OF EAST MIDLAND EXCURSION FARES.
FURTHER to the paragraph in last week's issue, we are now able to announce the bases generally adopted for the agreed fares for excursions and tours from the East Midland Area.
For circular tours (route or destination advertised), the fare is at the rate of id. per mile for the first 40 miles, .8d. per mile for miles in excess of 40, but not more than 80, and .Cd. per mile
for mileage in excess of 80. For mystery trips (route unadvertised) the rate is .8d. per mile up to 80 miles, subject to the fare being not less than the highest stage or express-service fare between any two points en route. Over 80 mileg-the. additional mileage is to be charged for at .6d. per mile.
A SPEED-LIMIT ANOMALY.
THE Llanelly magistrates have in structed that the attention of the South Wales Traffic Commissioners be directed to the fact that when pneumatic-tyred lorries are licensed for piessenger carrying, difficulty arises on the question of the speed limits.
The certifying officer directs that the speed of 30 m.p.h. for a bus be painted on the side of such vehicles. When the vehicle is used for goods carrying, the legal maximum speed is only 20
m.p.h. The magistrates, in view of " 30 m.p.h." being painted on the vehicle, have dismissed a case in which 20 m.p.h. was exceeded by a dual-purpose vehicle when carrying goods. They ask the Commissioners " to clear the matter up."
U.A.S. NOT TO BE SOLE MAIN TENANT OF HEXHAM STATION.
THE . Northern Road Transport Owners' Association is informed that the Minister has been advised that the Hexham municipality's decision to let the bus station to one company is not in accordance with the Road Traffic Act. it was proposed to let the station to United Automobile Services, Ltd., and several small operators protested against this action, which would make them sub-tenants.
NEW LICENSING SCHEME.
THE scheme, outlined in our issue dated February 10, for the block licensing of excursions and tours from Yorkshire towns, recommended by ,the Yorkshire Regional Fares Committee, was submitted to the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, at Leeds, last Friday.
Objections that a number of the proposed fares was too low were submitted by the railway companies and bus companies running stage-carriage services to terminal points included in the scheme. Eventually, however, agreement was reached on 90 per cent, of the fares.
MORE TROLLEY-BUSES FOR TRAMS?
THE South Lancashire Transport Go, proposed to convert the LeighFour Lane Ends tram-ways route to trolley-bus operation, and it -is suggested that the scheme should be extefided from the latter point to the Great Moor Street terminus.
Bolton Tramways Committee has deferred consideration of the matter. It has also decided to buy six new buses.