Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
LONDON TRAVELLERS NOW PAYING MORE
CARES for short journeys on the I motorbuses, trolleybuses and trams of the London Passenger Transport Board, including some, but not all, of the 2d. fares, were increased by id. from Wednesday last, July 3. Corresponding rail fares on the Board's system were raised by the same amount• and certain other road fares, including those on the Board's coach service.. were also increased. The increases are those recommended by the Charges (Railway Control) Consultative Committee.
An additional revenue of £1,315,000 is estimated in respect of the raising of Id. fares on motorbuses, trolleybuses and trams, that in respect of the lid. fares raised to 2d. being £46,000 and, in respect of 2d. fares, which are raised to 2id., £495,000.
So far as coaches are concerned, the estimated additional revenue is
£47,000. The total estimated additional revenue in respect of all road services is £1,981,000. "Fares on the Board's road services, other than its coaches, are normally Id. for two stages, 2d. for four stages, 3d. for six stages, and so on. The stages average rather more than half a mile on Central buses, trolleybuses and trams, and about iths of a mile on Country buses. The ld. fare covers about 60 per cent, of the passengers carried at ordinary fares and about 36 per cent. of receipts.
NOTTINGHAM'S RECEIPTS • SUFFER BADLY
C°MBINED effects of the war and a severe winter resulted in the receipts of Nottingham Transport Department showing a reduction, of £28,544 in the year ended March 31 last. Before September receipts were Over £10,000 ahead of those for the corresponding period of the previous year. The total income amounted to £629.019, equal to 15.756d. per mile, whilst working expenses totalled £525,845, equal to 13.172d. per mile. The municipal fleet consists of 183 oilengined buses, 125 trolleybuses and 38 petrol buses.
PORTSMOUTH'S PROFIT ADVANCES IN the year ended March 31 last there 1 was a net profit of £13,746 on the transport undertaking of Portsmouth Corporation, compared with £1,360 in the previous year. The general manager has suggested that over £15,000 should be transferred to a special war-time fund, He also mentioned that, owing to the difficulty of obtaining materials to maintain the vehicles at pre-war standard, it had been possible to effect a saving of about £6,000 on repairs.
The net income for the year was £381,986, a reduction of £2,240 on the previous yeai's total, whilst working expenses, at £288,147, were lower by £20,287. The buses made a net profit of i316,361, contrasted with £21,263, whilst on the trolleybuses there was a surplus of £13,886, compared with a loss of £4,528 in the previous year.
NEW BUS STATION FOR STIRLING
THE well-known Scottish bus con. cern, W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., has been granted permission by the Stirling Dean of Guild Court to proceed with the building of a bus station at Goosecroft, Stirling. The new building will include offices, waiting-rooms and passenger shelters in its design.
The scheme will considerably relieve the problem of traffic congestion in the principal thoroughfare in Stirling.
EDINBURGH HAS BIG DEFICIT THE City Chamberlain of Edinburgh, .1 Mr. J. D. Imrie, has reported that the deficit on the municipal bus system was £16,000 and on the tramways system £48,000 in the past year.
The transport manager, Mr. Robert M'Leod, told the public utilities committee that no decision had yet been reached by the Traffic Commissioner as to when the new fares would come into operation.
PRETORIA'S CALL FOR TROLLEYBUSES I T is announced that Pretoria City
Council is calling for tenders for the supply of 10 trolleybuses with 60-seater all-metal bodies. Tenders have to be sent to the Town Clerk, City Hall, Paul Kruger Street, Pretoria, South Africa, by July 30. Local representation is essent41. Fuller details of this call may be obtained from the Department of Overseas Trade, Great George Street, London, S.W.1, reference T.20658/40 being quoted.
OLDHAM NOT TO RAISE BUS FARES
THE transport committee of Oldham Corporation has decided to withdraw its application to tilt Traffic Commissioners for authority to raise bus fares. At the end of last year the department was losing about £600 per week, but it is now in a healthy condition, owing to the increased spending power of the population and, in the year ended March 31 last, there was a surplus of £16,593 on the transport undertaking.
BIGGER REVENUE AT BIRMINGHAM
FOR the year ended March 31 last, the gross revenue from the passenger-transport services of Birmingham Corporation was £2,919,393, the previous year's figure being £2,804,316. The operating expenses totalled £2,362,618, which is higher by £81,375 than the previous year. The aggregate number of miles run by the trams, motorbuses and trolleybuses was 42,395,831, which is a decrease of 1,538,777 on he previous year.
BUSES SHOW WAY AT MANCHESTER
OnN Wednesday last, Manchester City received the annual report of the transport committee, which operates 957 motorbuses, 91 trolleybuses and 420 trains. Working results for the year to March 31 last were as follow:—Motorbus surplus £163,075; trolleybus surplus, £24,294; tramways deficit, £115,401. The steep decline in the tramway receipts was chiefly due to the conversion of routes to bus operation, but £22,740 of the decrease was due to the decline of traffic on routes not converted.
The report contains this interesting comment:—" The additional provision for accelerating the depreciation period of motorbuses has not been charged for the year under review. The average life of vehicles exceeds the statutory loan period of eight years, therefore, there is not the necessity of making provision for premature obsolescence. At March 31, 1940, there were 237 motorbuses—or 25 per cent.—fully depreciated."
The motorbuses are operated over a route length of 293 miles.
HULL GETS A PLEASANT SURPRISE
DURING the year ended March 31 L./last, Hull Passenger Transport Department made a profit of £7,270 on the operation of its motorbuses and trolleybuses, but a loss of £9,446 on its trams. The undertaking's net loss of £2,176 on the year was less than 25 per cent, of the original deficiency estimate, notwithstanding increases in running costs.
GLASGOW TO SEEK FARES REVISION July 1, Glasgow Transport Com mittee agreed to make representations to the Ministry of Transport for sanction to increase bus fares. It was pointed out that there had been a deficit of £72,465 on the bus services for the 12 months ended May 31, because of reduction in services brought about by the black-out and fuel rationing. Costs were increased by higher wages and advances in the cost of fuel and other materials. A revision of bus fares was overdue, the buses at present being unable to meet their financial obligations.
BETTER LOADING FOLLOWS REDUCED MILEAGE
AT last week's annual meeting of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., at Preston,Mr. Sidney E. Garcke, chairman, said that, prior to the war, the company had a good summer. Since it became necessary to cut down fuel consumption, the revenue decreased, but, nevertheless, the results during the winter months were unusually satisfactory. The reduced mileage resulted in a more efficient loading of vehicles and lower expenditure. Generally speaking, the company's position was much the same as last year. Since the opening of the new financial year the net revenue had been well maintained, but the company could not expect results for the current year to compare favourably.