Municipalities Mark Time
Page 56
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LAST year, many of the municipal Passenger transport undertakings increased their fleets, or enlarged their carrying capacity by the substitution of double-deck oil-engined buses for ageing single-deckers. In terms of fleet figures, 1957 was a boom year, with an overall increase of 2.8 per cent, to a total of 18,880 vehicles. By 'contrast, the year now drawing to its close has mit been a happy one in the bus industry. It is true that credit facilities are available.'cin a more realistic scale. 1.t. is equally true that many operators are seriously 'worried by the size of their wages bills. It has been an economy. year.
With a total of 19,020 vehicles operated by the municipal authorities, the increase in the past year has been little more than + per cent. There has been no significant change in the composition of fleets. • Single-deck oilers show a decrease from 1,106 to 1;093 and there has been an increase of six in the trolleybus figures to 2,142. The largest increase, of 137, is in double-deckers.
• Among the manufacturers, Leyland retain their lead with a total of 5,598, and are the only bus builders to have improved their position during the year. Daimler, once again, are the next most popular vehicles, with a total of 4,404, but this figure is a decrease of 100 over that for 1957. A.E.C., in third place, have in service 3,800 vehicles, as in the previous year.
In general, the run-down in tram fleets continues. Aberdeen finally abandoned hers in May. Leeds still operates 107, but will dispose of several next March: the last is likely to be withdrawn in 1960. Of the Sheffield fleet of 155 trams, five will be withdrawn by the end of the year and, route by route, the service will be El 2 entirely replaced by buses in the spring of 1961. Glasgow Corporation continue their run-down to'704 trams.
At Blackpool, the tramcar retains its popularity. The fleet numbers 156, of which two vehicles have been converted to a motor car and trailer.
Thirteen municipal undertakings have standardized on one make. They are relatively small fleets, the largest being at Blackpool (144 Leyland).
In this analysis, the figures in brackets after the name of the undertaking indicate fleet strengths a year ago. The abbreviations " 0 " and " P " denote oil and petrol engines.