55 of PASS
Page 58
Page 59
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ENGER TRANSPORT
BRISTOL PUBLIC APPROVES PACT
BRISTOI, electors last week sanctioned the promotion by Bristol Corporation of a Bill in Parliament to make the city joint owner of the local transport services. Oil-engined buses are to replace the trains.
Under an agreement between the corporation and the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., the municipality is to acquire from the company the tramways undertaking for a sum of 1,125,000. Within two or three years the whole of the tramways will be replaced bytinses. The company will preserve its country services as separate entities, but those in the Bristol city area will be jointly owned.
The estimated cost of the changeover is £471,600. to be shared equally between the two parties, who will likewise divide equally the net revenue. Fares will be approximately equivalent to those at present charged on the trains.
Detailed management of the undertaking will remain in the hands of the company, but a joint consultative committee will be set up, consisting of equal numbers of municipal and company representatives. The agreement is for 30 years.
'PARTNERSHIP" SPLIT: APPEAL FAILS.
ON appeal by Messrs. William Pyne and Sons, the Minister of Transport has upheld the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners' decision to grant a licence to the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., permitting that company to take over from Sea.nor and Co. a Harrogate-Blackpool express service.
Messrs. Pyne and the Seanor concern for years operated on the HarrogateBlackpool route. Each ran on alternate days under separate licences, but by arrangement between the two parties what in effect was a daily service was worked under the joint title E24
of Whites Coach Tours. • Thet appellants submitted that the arrangement was, in effect, a partnership, the goodwill of which would be prejudiced by the transfer of Seanor's licence to the " West Yorkshire." Messrs, Fyne had also bid for the service.
HOURS ORDER RENEWED.
ON Tuesday (June 1), a new Order came into force, renewing the statutory variations in hours permitted to public service vehicle drivers. The new Order is known as the Road Traffic Act, 1930 (Variation of Provisions of Section 19), Order, 1937, and does not change the provisions of the previous regulations, which expired on May 31.
ROAD SPUR TO RAIL IMPROVEMENT
CR111C1SII of railway facilities arld ‘4,.../the suggestion that they improved only when faced by road or other competition, were made at .a sitting of the North-Western Traffic Commissioners.
Messrs. W. Cooper and J. A. Far, rington, who run the North Manchester Motor Owners' Joint Services, applied for a new express-carriage licence enabling them to transfer their North Wales numings from their excursion and tours licence, and add Middleton, Manchester, as a gathering ground and Greenfield as a destination.
One of the suggestions on behalf of the railway opposition was that Middleton Station was closed because of road competition. Mr. Henry Backhouse, C.M.TJ.A. solicitor, protested against such an assertion, and said that the station was closed without regard to the needs of the public. .
Mr. W. Chamberlain, chairman of the Commissioners, voiced some criticisms of rail arrangements, all bearing on the point, that road operators so often triumph because their excursions avoid breaks in the journey.
Decision was reserved.
£700,000 REVENUE LOST IN STRIKE
LONDON'S bus strike, which ende last Friday, • was an expensive di monstration. We estimIte the loss revenue during the four weeks of th stoppage at about £700,000, a figui in excess of the annual cost of grani ing the 73,-hour day, concerning whic the dispute arose. The Transport an General Workers Union disbursed som £120,000 in strike pay.
bluing the stoppage the tramcar and trolleybuses carried 60 per cent more traffic than normally, whilst th tube traffic was 100 per cent. highe than the average.
Speaking of the settlement, Mr Ernest Bevies, general secretary of th Union, said that, together with the re ports of the Court of Inquiry, it bii down a new foundation for a prope structure of agreements and working ii the bus industry.
The Norwich employees .of th Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd. who had ceased work on Whit-Sunday also returned to work last Friday 01 the terms of their existing agreement COMMISSIONER AND PICKING-U1 " R AIV1P."
DURING a sitting at Liverpool, las L./week, Mr. W. Chamberlain, chair man of the North-Western Traffic Corn missioners, remarked: " Traffic Corn raissioners now spend half their time when considering excursions and tours in dealing with the ramp of picking-uj points."
In the past, the Commissioners hat been only too willing, for the conveni ence of passengers, to grant picking-uj points. "If you look at the map yot will see that picking-up points havi become as thick as grapes," he continued. Once having been granted picking-up point, an operator ofter took up the attitude that it became hit exclusive right.
COUNCIL TO PROTECT COMPANY?
THEprinciple of protecting existing services was raised when Plymouth Corporation applied, last week, to the Western Traffic Commissioners for permission to extend two services. The Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd., which would be affected by the change, objected.
The corporation's proposal would provide a more frequent and cheaper service, without a loss to the municipality. On the other hand, a considerable percentage of the traffic on a competitive service, which had been run for many years by the "Western National," would be jeopardized.
Mr. A. F. Nicholson, chairman, pointed out that, although the inuni4 cipality's proposal was most desirable, it was the Commissioners' duty to pro4 tect existing services so far as possible. Both parties were advised to endeavour to reach an agreement on the issue.