SOME GREEN LINE FIGURES REVEALED
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Evidence Given to East Midland Commissioners in Connection with the LutonLondon Route IN the past few days there has been a protracted struggle before the East Midland Traffic Commissioners in connection with the application of Green Line Coaches, Ltd., to continue its Harpenden-Great Bookham service and to obtain an extension to Luton, objection being lodged by Venture Transport (Hendon), Ltd., Strawhatter Coaches, the railway interests, etc.
It was stated on behalf of the applicant that the route, was a new one, and passengers were not such as had previously depended upon the railways. The route was planned on January 28th, 1930, and the service to Harpenden commenced on September 20th, 1930. If the licence was granted a connection would be available between Luton, Elstree, Radlett and Golder's Green.
The chairman asked whether, in plan 048
ning a route, Green Line Coaches, Ltd., considered operators already on that route, and it was suggested that to commence operating on an already. congested route was a strange procedure. The company was asked whether any records were taken of other operators' traffic on the route, mid was requested to state its receipts per mile for the few 'months following the commencement of the service. Thesewere given as
follow t1 ;—September, 1930, .4.6. ; October, 6.1d.; November, 5.6d.; December, 6.8d. ; January, 66d.; Februaiy, 5.8d.; • March, 6.4d. ; April, 8.7d. ; May, 8.8d.
When asked whether these figures represented a loss it was explained that the figures for April and May showed no loss, as the operating costs during the past five months worked out at 8.2d. per mile. The chairman remarked that this seemed to him to be a low figure. The passengers carried from December 10th to 31st were stated to -have numbered 29,436. In the succeeding months they numbered 41,593, 41,888, 48,239, 67,431 and 68,786.
Proposed fares for the Luton-London section were said to be 2s. 9d. single and 4s. 3d, return, and when it was put • forward that other operators charged 2s. 6d. return the chairman interposed a.remark to the effect that' this' was not looked upon as an economic fare.and that only under great stress was it
allowed to continue. Nevertheless, it was submitted that one operator, Mr. II. Hill (Strawhatter Coaches), had been working on this route since October 1st, 1928, with apparent success.
The chairman said that so far he had heard no justification for the extension of the route from Harpenden to Luton, and that he thought the applicant company was proposing to put coaches on an already congested route.
The matter a the Green Line application to extend the St. Albans-Great Bookham service to Dunstqble was de
ferret] until it had come before the East' ern Commissioners, but the, chairman stated that the Commissioners were inclined to grant the request, although only for express carriages. The northern part of the route traverses Eastern and East Midland areas.