READING BETWEEN THE LINES AT READING
Page 52
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ONE of the last of the reports of municipal transport undertakings for the year ended March 31st, 1931, deals with the passenger-transport activities of Reading Corporation. At the end of the past year the corporation was operating a fleet of 31 buses, comprising 24 Guys, 4 Leylands, 2 Karriers and a Thornycroft, most of the vehicles being single-deekers.
In the year under review the total receipts from the operation of these vehicles amounted to 154,400, whilst working expenses totalled 149,190, so that a gross profit of £5,210 was made, as compared with £3,023 a year earlier. After meeting sinking-fund charges there was a net loss of £2,659 on the past year's working, as compared with one of £4,736 a year earlier. Reduced to a per-bus-mile basis the receipts amounted to 13.48d. and working expenses to 11.04d.
The aggregate mileage covered by the buses was 968,382, as contrasted with 868,354 a year earlier, whilst the number of passengers carried in 1930-1931 was 1,023,389 higher at 6,195,277 than the previous year's totaL The figures show that, on an average, 6.39 passengers were carried per bus-mile, and the fare paid per passenger amounted to 2.08d. The quantity of petrol used was 202,386 gallons, and the m.p.g. return for the whole fleet was 4.78, which is a slightly better showing than that of the previous year.
The past year has proved to be an interesting one from the point of view of bus operation, particularly when it is recalled that a new fares scheme was put into force in April last. Many new id. fare stages were introduced over the • whole system, and additional fare stages of other denominations.
The traffic records show that well over a million more passengers were carried and a revenue increase of £3,981 resulted. There are, however, other factors which deserve attention. The three main tramway routes radiate to six points of the borough, whilst the buses operate over seven routes and radiate from the centre of the town to 11 terminal points. The tramways cover approximately 7I miles of route and the bus-route mileage is approximately 304 Mr. J. M. Calder, A.M.I.E.E., A.M.I.Mech.E., the general manager of the undertaking, has something to say in the report concerning the enormous mileage which it is necessary to cover to meet the traffic requirements of the public of Reading. He does not regard the increased revenue of approximately £4,000 as too satisfactory, having regard to the services provided, and he stresses the point that the receipts per bus-mile actually show a decrease of approximately Id. over the whole system.
Ou the subject of tramways abandonment, Mr. Calder stresses the need for careful deliberation, especially in view of the efforts to improve the oil-engined vehicle and the trolley-bus The first municipal bus service in Reading was commenced in December of the year 1919.