Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER• TRANSPORT
SUPPORT FOR BUS GROUPING SCHEME
READY support was forthcoming from operators at meetings held in Yorkshire, last week, for the voluntary grouping of buses and coaches owned in the county by concerns which are outside the larger undertakings so that they can be quickly mobilized to meet any major passenger-transport dislocation caused by enemy action. Arrangements were made for the holding 01 group meetings to discuss hiring rates, which will apply if vehicles be called out under the scheme, and to appoint group leaders. As we reported last week, the scheme has been introduced by the Transport Commissioner for the North-eastern Regions Major F. S. Eastwood. 'Combine " companies and municipalities do not come within its scope. The scheme was explained • at operators' meetings held in Leeds, Huddersfield, Harrogate, Sheffield and Doncaster, where, operators from numerous towns and smaller districts assembled.
CARDIFF'S FIRST TROLLEYBUS ROUTES
CARDIFF expects to have its first trolleybus services in operation in February next. The first routes to be opened will he the Corporation Road, Wood Street and Cathedral Road sections. The corporation has powers to operate such vehicles over all the present tramway. and bus. routes, but it is learned that there will be no extension of trolIeybus routes until the existing tramway services have been changed over.
STAGGERED HOURS URGED FOR MUNITION WORKERS
THE North Midland Transport Commissioner, Mr. J. H. Stirk, has warned managers of munition works that unless they be prepared to con-, skier the staggering of workers' hours it will be impossible to provide vehicles for the-conveyance of men and women 'who may seek public, tiansport when the inclement weather of the winterforces them to stop using bicycles and motorcycles. ' Unless steps he taken at once, to stagger hours by about one hour in the morning and evening, the National war effort will suffer," he adds.
WORKERS BEFORE SHOPPERS— COMMISSIONER'S APPEAL I N a Press appeal to shoppers to plan their shopping so as to avoid -travelling at peak hours, the Transport Commissioner for the North-eastern Region, Major F. S. Eastwood, stated last week : " If this appeal be not regarded it may he necessary to make special transport arrangements for workers only. As buses are limited, because of the requirements of the Army and the fact that London has a28 made calls on provincial services, and because there is an acute shortage of drivers, the public may, by its own action, find that its shopping will be forcibly restricted. " Workers must come first," the Commissioner added, " for the war machine cannot be disorganized because workmen are crowded off the buses by shoppers." • .
EARNINGS AS WORKMAN'S'FICKET BASIS pLACKPOOL Labour Council—representing 95 per gent, of the trade unionists of the district—has passed a resolution that workmen's tickets be allowed on Blackpool transport services to people earning 24 a week instead of 23, as at present.
NEW SCOTTISH BUS-SERVICE LICENCE GRANTED
AN application by Mr. Neil Beaton for a road licence for a bus service from Portree to •Dunvegan has been granted by the Northern Scotland Traffic Commissioners, the licence ineorpbrating the existing road service between Portree and Glendale.
PRIVATE OPERATORS STEP IN WHEN TROLLEYBUSES 'STOP rIN November 30, • the Regional Erans.port Commissioner gave permission to the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., and to Barton Transport, Ltd.; to pick up i-,nd set down passengers on certain routes in Nottingham worked by trolleybuses, when such vehicles are not operating during an " alert " air-raid warning. The fares to be charged wilt be .those already authorized for the trolleybuses.
GREEN LINE ROUTES TO BE DOUBLED
L'URTHER to the' paragraph in last' week's issue; London Transport announces that the number of Green Line coach routes will be doubled by the reinstatement of pre-war services, and that a number of the present coach services will be strengthened. This programme has been made possible by the loan of vehicles from Scotland and the provinces. The improvements are being made in two stages—some became effective on December 4, and the others will come into operation on December 18. To make greater regularity of running possible, all routes will end in Central London—at Eccleston Bridge (Victoria), Oxford Circus or Aldgate. The new services will follow generally the routes used before the war, although there will be some variations,
"EAST KENT" FACES UNFAVOURABLE YEAR
Ithe year ended September SO last, the East Rent Road Car Co., Ltd„ made a profit of 222,248. General reserve receives 210,000 and a dividend on the preference shares for the three months ended September 30 takes 23,250; after taking into account the dividend on those shares for the nine months to June 30, there is a balance of 215,656 to be carried forward, as against 216,407 brought into the accounts,
In the early months of its financial year the company enjoyed exceptional winter traffic, due mainly to the presence in the area of evacuees. Later, a loss of traffic arose which more than offset the benefits thus secured. The prospects for the present year are not considered favourable and, in all circumstances, the directors consider it unadvisable to recommend any distribution on the ordinary shares.