CLOSING • A TRAMWAY ROUTE.
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Motorbuses to Take the Place of Tramcars in Linking Up Two Lancashire Districts.
J)UE to the failure of negotiations between the Liverpool Corporation and the Councils of Waterloo and Great Crosby, the tramway track which connects Seaforth with Great Crosby is to close down and the service is to be maintained by motorbuses belonging to the Waterloo and Crosby Motor Services. Ltd. From the very outset of the negotiations the Waterloo and Crosby Motor Services, Ltd., who, at the present
time, run a fleet of Fiat and Burford vehicles (single-deckers), had been in touch with the councils concerned regargling the maintenance of this passenger transport route, but eventually the councils concluded an arrangement with the Liverpool Corporation whereby the latter was to open ate the tram track under certain conditions. This agreement was subject fo a proviso as to fares and stages, and it was upon this point that a deadlock was reached, negotiations broken off and the agreement entered into with the motor company. The Waterloo and Crosby Councils opened negotiations with several motorbus companies and a long-term contract has now been entered into with the Waterloo and Crosby Motor Services, Ltd.
At the time of writing, enclosed double-deck buses are en route for Waterloo, and they were due to take up service on January 1st. These vehicles are only temporary units andwill be superseded when a fleet of A.E.C. buses can be obtained, probably within a couple of months.
The Waterloo and Crosby Motor Services, Ltd., have informed us that the new vehicles will be of the A.E.C. model 409 type to seat 52 passengers. They , will have enclosed double decks. The tramway service was operated by the Overhead Railway Tramways Co., and their contract expired on December 31st. It is the intention of the Waterloo and Crosby Motor Services, Ltd., to employ as many of the staff of this company as possible and to teach a certain number of the tramways drivers to drive motorbuses.
Another Welsh Municipality to Run Buses.
A new municipal service is to be established in South Wales by the Gellygaer Urban District Council. At its December meeting the council decided to acquire four 36-seater pneumatic-tyred buses, estimated to cost £1,600 each. The service is to be confined, at first, to the Ystrad Mynacb.Bargoed route, and one year of operation with the four vehicles is estimated' to yield a revenue of £9,100, as against working costs, including capital charges, of 17,484; the estimate of costs does not include certain establishment charges. The council proposes to introduce a 2d. per mile scale of charges.
The decision was opposed by certain members of the council, who thought the present time of acute rivalry between private enterprise and the railway companies inopportune for a new service. In addition it was adduced •that local rates being 28s. in the 1, the risk of capital was unwarranted.
The. committee, upon" the report of which the council decided to found the service, stated that the establishment of a monopoly service on the route must be the eouncirs ultimate aim. It is of opinion that " cut " rates might be necessary to achieve this end.