Operating Aspects of
Page 49
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Passenger Transport
INDUSTRIAL COURT FIXES WAGES
ANimportant award establishing a new level of wages for bus drivers and conductors in the district has -been given by the Industrial Court against the Red House Garage Co., Ltd., Coventry.
The Court has decided that drivers shall commence at a -wage of not less than Is. lid. per hour, after the first year they Shall receive is. 2lcl. per hour, after the Second year-is. •31d., and after the fourth year is. 4d. The corresponding rates for conductors are: Is. Old., Is. lid., nee 2ld., and Is. 27,d.
• Overtime must no paid at the rate • of at _least time-and-a-quarter, whilst double wages must be paid on Sundays, Bank Holidays and Christmas Day. It is further provided that em • ployees who have coineleted a year's service shall be given eight days' annual holiday with pay for 60 hours. The terms are similar to those already negotiated with a large bus company in the area,
SAFETY DRIVE IN NORTHWESTERN AREA.
A LL the police chiefs in the North/A Western Area have been prompted by the Traffic Commissioners to take
• into consideration the whole of the bus stops in their districts, with the idea of altering all stopping places that are within 30 yds. of road junctions. Three of a number of changes asked for in the Accrington area by Police Supt. Paget were objected to by the corporation, at a sitting in Manchester, on Tuesday, one being opposed on the ground that it moved the stopping • place too far away from a waitingtoecea for this to be of any further use. Paget replied that this was the neoet dangerous point in the area not c,ontrolled by automatic lights.
• The chairman, Mr. W. Chamberlain, said the Commissioners knew a section of the public would be inconvenienced hut they did feel that the general safety of the public would be increased. Exceptions had to he made, but, generally speaking, it must be patent to all road users that bus stops placed at or near important street intersections were a serious danger.
In respect of the alterations objected to, the Commissioners reserved their decision.
4,850 LONDON BUSMEN STRIKE.
ARLY on Wednesday morning, a
settlement of a lightning strike of London busmen was reached. As a result of disciplinary ,action taken against a driver and conductor by London Transport, some 4,8.50 busmen ceased work on Tuesday, resulting in the stoppage of 953 buses engaged on 62 routes. Under the terms of the -settlement, the Board agreed to review its disciplinary machinery.
FREEDOM IN BLACKPOOL. .
AS a result of the decision reached at a meeting of Blackpool Town Council, On Monday, coach operators are to he allowed greater freedom. The police decided that, in future, no obstacle should he placed in the way of the unloading of ,coachee.
TEES BOARD TO SELL IIUS SYSTEM.?
I T is stated in the minutes of Middles brough Transport Committee that etre Tees-side Railless Traction Board, in which the corporation is 'finaneially interested, has decided to approach Middlesbrough Corporation and -United Automobile .SerVices, Ltd., to ascertain on what considerations they would be -prepared to take over the Board's motorbus undertaking.
BUSES TO BE DRIVEN FROM STREETS.
WELLINGBOROUGH Urban DisW trict Council is to seek the aid of the Traffic Commissioners to enforce proposals with regard to the parking of buses in the streets. The action is the outcome of lengthy negotiations with the Limited Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., which the council has ordered to cease using former stands.
U.A.S. STATION SCHEME.
WEST HARTLEPOOL Town CoenVV ciI has rescinded a previous resolution to embark on a £12,000 scheme for the erection of a bus station, and has decided instead to support a project by United Automobile Services,
Ltd. The " United " is to erect a station and allow other operators to use it on payment of standage lees.
A NEW P.S.V. GUIDE.
ANEW Guide, and Index of Towns Served, has recently been issued by P.S.V: Operators, Ltd. The guide contains useful instructions to -booking agents, together with a full list of agents and particulars of many services to and from London: A fare table is also included.
'RECORD PROFITS AT BIRMINGHAM
ASUBSTANTIAL BSTANAL increase in the . gross •profit on the operation of the buses of Birmingham Corporation was recorded in the year -ended March 31, 1935, the figure-of £262,421; contrasting with £232,990 a year earlier. The ;revenue -account shows that income totalled £1,092,115, -whilst -expenditure ame anted to -.E829,686, two important items in connection with the latter being the cost Of fuel at £156,746, and expenses on repairs and maintenance at £144,237. The cost of licences amounted to £47,977. On a per-bus-mile basis, revenue amounted to 14.794d. and -expenditure -to J.1:240d.
In the year under review, the motorbuses covered a total mileage of 17,716;628, and carried 154;007,505 passengers. At the end of March last. the corporation owned 554 motorbuses, which were in use on 128 miles of route. The municipal fleet consists mainly of A.E.C. and Daimler buses, other makes represented being Morris-Commercial and Guy.
In the same period the 66 trolleybuses operated by the corporation over seven route miles Were run at a gross profit of £26,947 (£11,086 in the previous year), the revenue having amounted to £106,908 and -expenses to £79,961. These vehidIes, -Chiefly Leyland-G.E.C. 58-ears, covered an aggregate mileage of 1,530,487 and tarried 20;233;695 passengers, both -figures being much higher than the ,comparable returns for the previous year, when the 'same number of trolleybuses was in use.
LEEDS AND YORKSHIRE CO. CO-ORDINATE.
ASCHEME for the co-onlination of bus services of Leeds Corporatioe and the Yorkshire (Woollen .DiArict) Electric Tramways, Ltd., was mentioned 'before the YorkShire Traffic 'Commissioners, on Monday, when proposals for the running by the two undertakings of new joint services between 'Morley and -Leeds were submitted.
It was explained that the corporation and the company were proposing to co-ordinate their • services in the Morley -district. The five municipal services between Leeds and Morley would -be 'improved if the 'Commissioners approved -the scheme. The Commissioners reserved their decision.
FAR-ES COMMITTEES TO MEET THIS MONTH.
.THIS month, the es
Regional Fares propose to hold their -summer meetings, as arranged following the recommendations of a meeting of coach Operaicirs held under the auspices of the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, at the end of last year. It is understood that the questions for consideration include those of season tickets and unfair railway competition.