A Much-needed Bus and Coach Time-table.
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A £200,000 PUBLIC COMPANY TO BE FORMED.
IN our issue dated November 27th iast we had an opportunity for outlining the preparations which were being made by Roadways (Preliminary), Ltd., of Sentinel House, Southampton Row, London, W.C.1, to publish a monthly time-table giving information relating to motorbus and motor-coach services operating in Great Britain and Ireland. That the company is making progress is indicated by the fact that during the course of the present month the new company, which, -we understand, will be called Roadway Time Tables, Ltd., will make its issue of shares to the public with the object of acquiring the business and contracts of Roadways (Preliminary), Ltd., and of exploiting the copyright and publishing rights in the new time-table and guide.
It is intended that the guide shall be comprehensive, and give complete and concise particulars of all motor-coach and motorbus concerns operating estab:lished services, except„ of course, purely town services. It will contain sectional road maps of Great Britain and Ireland, and useful information concerning cities, towns and villages. The price of the principal guide will be 6d., but we are told that the company leas in mind the publication of small pocket time-tables dealing only with particular areas and with long-distance services.
For some little time past the work of compilation has been proceeding, apace, and it is intended that the first issue of the guide shall be published in March. Incidentally, it can be mentioned that the Work of compilation is in the hands of an ex-railway compilation expert who has had 40 years' experience in connection with the preparation of time-tables. The company tells us that it is guaranteeing for the guide a net monthly circulation of 50,000 copies, which gives an idea of the size of the undertaking.
We are informed that the board of the new company will include Mr. Edward S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E., M.Inst.T., as chairman, and Sir Philip Dawson, Kt., M.P., M.Inst.C.E.
There is little question that, with the remarkable growth which is taking place in connection with the passenger-transport industry, a guide which sets out clearly the time schedules of established services is required, and it is this need which the company is setting itself out to meet.
We are given to understand that an advertising scheme of a novel character has been prepared under which the new company will spend a considerable sum of money in advertising the guides generallY throughout the country, so as to bring them to the notice of the public: