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LATEST NEWS FROM THE TRAFFIC AREAS

5th May 1933, Page 135
5th May 1933
Page 135
Page 135, 5th May 1933 — LATEST NEWS FROM THE TRAFFIC AREAS
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NEW SCHEME FOR TEES-SIDE BUS CO-ORDINATION. A COMMITTEE consisting of seven

members has been appointed by the Middlesbrough. municipal authority to negotiate with Stockton Corporation and Eston Urban District Council for the unification of bus services.

Negotiations between Middlesbrough Corporation and United Automobile Services, Ltd., having been suspended, it is now desired to find mine new basis for co-ordination. In some quarters in lirliddlesbrough it is felt that the Teesside Railless Traction Board should be brought into a joint working scheme.

WHO SHOULD HOLD LICENCE? THE Minister of Transport has an

nounced his decision on an appeal by Lavington and Devizes Motor Services, Ltd., against the refusal of the Southern Traffic Commissioners to permit an additional tour to be run to Stonehenge and Old Sarum, via Lavington Station.

The tour was to be operated in connection with the Great Western Railway Co.'s excursions from Paddington, and the Commissioners held that the railway company should hold the licence. The G.W.R. advertised a trip from Paddington to Lavington, with admission to Stonehenge, at an inclusive fare, but not taking into account the coach fare.

The method of working was for the G.W.R. divisional superintendent at Bristol, on being notified from head office that an excursion from Paddington would call at Lavington on a certain date, to ascertain from the Lavington Co. the maximum number of passengers that it' was prepared to carry at a return fare of 4s. 6d. Separate coach tickets were provided for, these to be submitted to the G.W.R, with a claim for settlement at 4s. 6d. each, less a booking fee of 5s. per cent.

The Minister considers that the Lavington Co. should hold the licence, and accordingly makes an order on the Commissioners.

SOUTH WALES OPERATORS VISIT STEAMER WORKS.

I,EAOING members of the Omnibus Proprietors Association (South Wales) joined with a deputation of the " Back-to-Coal " Movement in a tour from Cardiff, on May 1, to the Sentinel works at Shrewsbury and to Birmingham, where steam and compressed-gas vehicles can be seen in use, with a view to examining the possibility of operating buses on fuel, other than petrol or oil.

EASTERN COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS ON FARES SCHEME. THE Eastern Traffic Commissioners have announced their decision on the controversial matter of the proposed modifications in the fares schedules of the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd.

It is pointed out that the company stated in evidence that the increase in the price of petrol would raise the company's costs by £19,250 per annum, but of this sum only £3,963 falls to be allocated against services in the Eastern Area. The present proposals must, therefore, have the effect of recovering from the company's services in other districts some of the additional charge of the Grays district, where most of the routes are nnremunerative and where certain services will pass to the London Passenger Transport Board.

The Commissioners are not prepared, on present evidence or statistics, and in existing circumstances, to sanction ordinary return fares at rates exceeding 1d. per mile. The company's proposals would, in many cases, make such increases. Neither, are the Commissioners prepared to sanction, in their original form, considerable increases, in several instances, upon children's special school tickets or workmen's tickets.

The Commissioners' decision on the proposals of the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., applies also to a number of smaller operators.

L.G.O. CREOSOTE EXPERIMENTS. CREOSOTE is being used as fuel by five buses on Route 33 of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., each vehicle having a petrol and a creosote tank. Petrol is employed for starting up, after which the alternative fuel is burned.

GAS BUSES SUGGESTED.

ACCRINGTON District Gas and Water Board has instructed its general manager to approach the transport committee of Accrington Corporation with a view to the committee giving consideration to a trial period of running one or two single-deck buses on gas. The suggestion is that the compressing plant and filling station equipment be provided by the Board, and the conversions of the engines, etc., be undertaken by the corporation.

A THAMES VALLEY MERGER.

IT is reported that the Pixey bus ser vice previously worked by Mr. Harris, from Maidenhead to Windsor, via Fifield, has been acquired by the Thames Valley Traction Co., Ltd. CARDIFF STATION TO COST OVER £240,000.

THE finance committee of Cardiffi Cor

poration has now received final estimates in connection with the acquisition of properties fronting the Great 'Western Railway station for the purposes of a bus station.

The cost of acquisition, demolition works, bus station construction, etc., is placed at £243,850, on which annual charges of £13,858 would have to be paid, the loan charges being £10,607 and other expenses £3,251 per annum. Receipts would be £14,037 annually, of which £4,788 would be derived from buses using the station.

MERGERS ON TEES-S1DE,

THE United Automobile Services, Ltd. (in which company the Loudon and North-Eastern Railway Co. has a 49 per cent. interest), has recently acquired two further rail-associated bus companies. Theconeerns in question are Safeway Services, Ltd., and Redwing Safety Services, Ltd. The Redwing through Middlesbrough-Leeds service has been acquired jointly by the United and West Yorkshire concerns. The journey time has been reduced by about / hour.

The Commercial Motor understands also that Blurner's Bus Service, Ltd., may shortly be merged with United Automobile Services, Ltd.

ASSOCIATION SAVES MEMBERS FROM UNNECESSARY EXPENSE.

AT the annual meeting of Yorkshire

'Coach Owners, Ltd., in Leeds, Mr. J. Keeling (secretary) reported that, during the year, the membership 'had grown from 33 to 157; 611 licences-lhad been granted to members, and 107 objections had been laid against applications for services which were considered to be against the interests of members.

As the result of representations to the Minister of Transport, the Association had obtained a refund to members of £383, in respect of what was.held to be an overcharge for licence fees during 1931. By this refund, most members had saved more than they had paid in subscriptions to the Association.

The following officials and directors were appointed :—Chairman, Mr. A. II. Butterwick (Leeds) ; secretary, °Mr. J. Keeling (Leeds) , t assistant secretary, Mr. S. Stone (Leeds) ; directors (in addition to the officials) :—Messrs. M. Hargreaves (Morley), G. Cole (Leeds), I Heaps (Leeds), H. Midgley (Leeds), H. Croft (Yeadon), S. Oade (Clockheaton), J. Moore (Barnsley), I. Hoyle (Halifax) and G. Barker (Scarborough).

CONTRACT-CARRIAGE TEST CASES TO BE BROUGHT. •

MEMBERS of Yorkshire Coach

Owners, Ltd., have instructed the secretary (Mr. I. Keeling) to arrange for friendly contract-carriage test cases in police courts in Yorkshire, with the object of ascertaining the construction placed by the different magisterial benches upon' the Act.

This move is in consequence of the failure, so far, of the special committee appointed by the Yorkshire Regional Fares Committee to reach agreement on what shall be regarded as contract work in the Yorkshire Area.


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