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The Tramway's Decay.

5th October 1916, Page 16
5th October 1916
Page 16
Page 17
Page 16, 5th October 1916 — The Tramway's Decay.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

By the Rt. Hon. Sir J. H. A. Macdonald, G.C.B., Member a the Road Board.

f Continued from page 96.)

There is no better proof of the efficiency of the motorbus in comparison with the tramway, and the consequent financial results, than is to be found in the fact, which is beyond 'dispute, that there are no new important tramway schemes in course of promotion anywhere in our large towns. Here are a few illustrations of this. No attempt is now ma.de to penetrate .further into London. For example, schemes for carrying tramways clown Edgware Road and Tottenham Court Road and along Euston Road—schemes formerly unsuccessfully launched—are no longer spoken of. Such a road as the highway to St. Albans is effectively taken up by an omnibus service, so that no sensible investor of money would give a shilling to a scheme to lay down tramlines along that route. In such a flourishing borough as Eastbourne, all proposals for a system of tramways have been rejected, and omnibuses put in use, giving a successful service. The above are illustrations only. There are many others throughout the country.

Battery.equipped Motorbuses.

The omnibus system has the further important advantage that extension requires in capital outlay the expense of additional omnibuses only, and routes can be changed or increased, or services modified or withdrawn, as the exigencies may vary either temporarily or permanently. All this it is thought, puts the one point graphically, that the tramway is a non-progressive institution, and cannot now succeed in establishing itself, except where the self-interest of a municipal body makes it desirous to obtain a good day-load for its electrical 'plant. But even this last forlorn hope will fail, when it is realized that the free-driven electric vehicle has now come into successful operation, it being possible to run vehicles economically on one charge for at least 80 miles, Municipalities which have electric light works can get custom from the omnibus company for charging the storage batteries when electric driving becomes common, as it is likely to do, as king as motor fuel is at a high price. Once adopted, electric driving would not be abandoned. It is, where it can be efficient, the most economical and satisfactory for an intermittent service requiring frequent stops. Frequent stopping and starting are not very suitable far a vehicle driven by a clutch off an explosion engine, involving constant changes of gear, and requiring great care in letting the clutch in. The custom for current would also be larger than that given by any tramway system, as the omnibuses, running by many streets, would take more current than tramways, which are necessarily limited in the number of routes on which it can pay to lay out capital in putting down and equipping a railway, at more than ten thousand pounds sterling per mile.

The Tramcar Held to Its Rails.

Another difficulty which besets the owners of tramways is that they have no power to change a route, or to use more than one route in each direction. The tramcar service cannot adapt itself to any change which may occur in a district through which it runs. However nauch the building in an drea may spread out laterally 'from the main route along which a tramline is open, there is no possibility of. dividing the route, or altering it, until requisite statutory power is obtained, and great capital outlay incurred. And even if power he obtained and side lines made, a new inconvenience must must arise. For such lines must run into the main line and cause congestion of traffic. Such congestion is unavoidable, as it is the only alterna

a46

tive to the construction of a new through line by a different route, at enormous expense. The tramway is not like a railway, which can double its running power by acquiring land and laying down extra lines, on the same route. It can only obtain facility for traffic M the same direction, when its existing line is overloaded, by getting authority to establish a relieving service by a different route. The inconvenient limitation of the tram-road as a provision of public service to the inhabitants of a city is shownby the present position of matters in London and the neighbourhood. The motor-omnibus system, which was only established effectively six years age, has now in the Landon district a route-length of 466 miles, while the tramway, which invaded London many years earlier, has only a route-length of 330 miles. This indicates how limited is the possibility of a full service being given by tramways, and how they fail to supply conveniences to passengers who are not resident nor have their places of business close to a tram. way line.

Compulsory Changing on Journey Unpopular.

As regards those who live beyond the outermost point to which a tramway can be prudently extended, it issignificant to find 'that the tramway owner is already in Lame cases promoting a feeding omnibus service, to bring passengers forward to his dead-end. But it is absurd to suppose that passengers who can join an oranibus that goes right through to the city will use an omnibus to reach :the tramway terminus, and change there in all weathers, and if they are going far into the city, have to change again to another omnibus. Such passengers will, of course, take the vehicle that will convey them all the way without a change, and which they know will carry them at least as-fast as, if not faster than if they used the tramway service, involving a double change.

A Solution Now Oilers for Puzzled Government Departments.

The want of sufficient capacity of main streets in great cities to carry the enormously increased and also still increasing traffic is demonstrated by the fact that the road authorities and the Board of Trade have been for years working towards a remedy by the opening up of new routes, running more or less parallel with the existing main thoroughfares. As regards London, there are elaborate schemes set forth in the Board of Trade reports. If such duplicate roads' were made, the question, would arise whether, looking to the available free running service, there would be any call for incurring the capital outlay of laying down railways upon them. No doubt the rabicttramway partisan would say "yes," but common sense would say "no." The question 'put above whether, if a good smooth roadway can be laid and good freerunning vehicles made available for the public, it would ever, enter anyone's mind to put a railway on it, applies directly in the case of such new arterial streets h,s are proposed to relieve congestion in London, as such new roads will, of course, be made of the very best material and construction, and will have a long life. It is difficult -Co suppose that a service which is so satisfactory as that of the motor omnibus, and which has notthe disadvantage of having to come to an end before reaching the real business centre would not be preferred to a service, involving a break in journey to all using it who have to go into Central London. The free-running vehicle has the further advantage that the omnibus system, being flexible and free to use any parallel or nearly parallel routes, where one line becomes congested by passengers crowding to it from areas on either side, can adapt itself to the requirements so arising. It can meet the needs caused by increases of population in particular districts, by establishing new services, long before any new arterial way can be made, thus enabling the inhabitants to obtain conveyance, at points nearer to their homes than the original route when in old parts the traffic has increased, or in parts which constitute new town areas. This is seen in London, where new lines of omnibuses are opened up frequently in places where new requirements have arisen. Points of a central character can be reached by several routes, and thus local requirements are served, to the great convenience of residents, by a service being brought near to them, instead, of their having to go a long distance on foot, which they may have to do if the tramline only is available. Wherever 'it is possible to find a sufficient number of passengers, there, and at once, and without delay in laying rails, a service can be established. And the omnibus companies can experiment without misgiving in introducing such a. service, for, as already pointed out, the services can be increased or diminished or withdrawn, according to the success or non-success of the new venture, without any sacrifice of capital. In a word, the omnibus system is flexible in a high degree ; the tramway system is not flexible in any degree. The idea of the relegation of the motor omnibus to the interior of a museum being no longer a statable proposition—it was never even plausible, the tramway partisan naturally does his best to cry down his hated rival.

Answers to a Case Stated in 1906.

The tramway votary has stated every objection conceivable as against the motor omnibus. His objections (as taken from a lecture delivered in 1906) and the answers to them may be put in parallel columns thus :

OBJECTION. ANSWER.

Great noise. This objection is now not eat

able. A tramway car makes a much greater noise. This is demonstrable by the use of any recording noise-vibration instrument.

Smell. This is now practically no longer a serious objection. The popularity of the motor omnibus with the public proves that no such objection influences the passenger to prefer the tramway car to the omnibus.

Danger of This is now reduced to a mini sideslip. mum, and, when streets are

properly claanaeclz is infinitesimal. The trained driver avoids all danger, except in extreme cases. The public do not regard it as a deterrent.

Danger of fire. Infinitesimal. No passenger has been injured in such an accident. Fires occur in the case of tramcars more frequently. Vibration. This also is a matter which the passenger can settle for himself, and he does it by using the omnibus. Noise and vibration are twin sisters, and the result of a test of noise is favourable to the omnibus. As roads are being improved, vibration is always diminishing.

Danger to This is diminishing as experi

other vehicle once increases and training of

users. drivers is more complete. It

is a remarkable fact that, although horsed vehicles are now a fraction, of the whole traffic, the number of horse accidents shows no diminution, while there is diminution in the case of the motordriven vehicle.

Unreliability. This objection no longer exists. For two or three years there was ground for it, while experience of a new vehicle was being acquired. But for seven or eight years a broken-down omnibus has been the rarest of sights. When it occurs it creates little inconvenience. In two or three minutes the passengers can enter another vehicle and be carried on. In contrast to this, if a tramway car is brought to a stand from any cause, it blocks the whole route behind it until the line is cleared.

The above answers to the tramway votary's conten tions against the motor omnibus are, of course, argumentative, although based on facts. But the best and conclusive answer to all objection is that the citizen —who, after all is said, is the final arbiter—gives his patronage to the motor omnibus, in spite of the alleged discomfort and dangers which the promoter of railways on the public highways urges him to realize. When 3500 omnibuses can run successfully from a profit-earning point of view, in London and its district, such objections as are above quoted are answered conclusively, and, indeed, finally. The profits earned by the L.G.O.C. and the loss of 280,000 (in addition to failure to provide any renewals reserve) by the L.C.C. tramways per annum, speak for themselves. The success of the motor omnibus can only be explained, in view of the objections, in one or other of two ways. Either the objections stated are not substantial, or, if substantial, the public are indifferent to them.

What Place Has the Tramcar Taken In Aid ol -the State During the War?

It only remains to notice a change that has recently happened in London. There are no doubt fewer omnibuses running than there were two years ago, but this speaks not of failure but of success. The diminution is caused by the necessities of war. The London omnibus has proved itself of the greatest value in war service, in conveying troops and munitions, making possible rapid movement of forces to the Front, and across country to strengthen both attack and defence. The motor omnibus—and, indeed, the motor vehicle of all classes—is a very valuable asset to the country and the military forces. They would be of paramount value in the case of invasion. What place has the tramcar taken in aid of the State during the war None ; for it can take none. In the time of the country's need the motor omnibus is a valuable asset to its military power, whilst the tramcar is valueless.

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Organisations: Road Board
Locations: London

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