Passenger-Vehicle Topics.
Page 12
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The Motorbus Committee of Eastbourne Town Council has decided to stop letting motor vehicles Out on hire, unless in exceptional Cases.
Members of the Cabmen's Union are not satisfied with the recent heavy expenditure of the Union in connection with strikes and other matters. A petition in the form of a request for an extraordinary general meeting has been signed.
Motosbuses at the Seaside.
Licences have been issued for a service of motorbuses during the season at Margate. Most of the vehicles belong to local jobmasters, who have formed a small syndicate for the control of the service. This idea could be well followed out in other towns.
Petrol for Taxicabs.
Much inconvenience is being felt by some taxicab drivers owing to the increasing price of petrol. The drivers can now, perhaps, appreciate the inconvenience that the general unoffending public are subjected to owing to sometimes-selfish action by a small body of men who are, practically, public servants.
L.C.C. on the Defensive.
It is believed that a round-table debate, between representatives of the L.C.C. Highways Committee and the Roads Improvement Association, on the red-hot subject of unnecessary and unprofitable tramcar obstructiveness, will take place at the Railway Department of the Board of Trade early next month— as soon as Lt.-Col. Yorke is back from the U.S.A.
Rail and Road Motors.
A representative of the Great Western Railway Co., Ltd., quoting the late Sir James Inglis before a recent Railway Congress, stated that the cost of running rail motorcars on that system is from 7d. to 8d. per mile, about one-half of what is incurred in working an ordinary train. This system of rail motors was the only means by which the competition of buses could be met with success. On the subject of road motors, the speaker remarked that the average cost would be 9.49d. per mile for the passenger-type vehicle, while in the parcel-carrying department a 15-ewt. van of 16-24 h.p., with a speed of 20 m.p.h., cost about £4 12s. for a weekly run of 300 miles-3.68d. per mile. London Traffic Rivals.
The L.C.C. tramway receipts, for the week ended the 22nd ult., were 143,911, compared with £43,984, for the corresponding week of 1911 ; the L.G.O.C. receipts, for the week ended the 1st inst., were £59,791, compared with £44,639 for the corresponding week of 1911. The L.C.C. decrease is £73, whilst the L.G.O.C. gain is £15,152.
Troubles of Prospective OwnerDrivars.
A meeting of the London Cabdrivers' Trade Union was called for the purpose of voting the sum of 2500 from their " Protection " funds to their new " Cooperative Cab Society." After arranging for printing and, the hire of the Caxton Hall, the resolution was defeated by a large majority. The members of other mutual societies who are also members of the Union were very anxious to know why they could not obtain the use of the money.
Leeds Dissatisfaction with Trolleybuses.
There is by no means an utlisturbed atmosphere of satisfaction in Leeds with regard to the local trolleybus experiment which has been the Mecca of so many inquisitive municipal deputations from all over the country. " Things went smoothly for a time, but recently they have been very different. On the last two Saturdays three of the buses have been laid up for repairs, and only one has run. Shortly after nine on the night of Tuesday, the 7th ult., the last one shed a tire, and we were without a ser vice." Thus writes one Fernley gentleman, who considers that the trackless trolleybuses are the worst investment which the corporation has yet made. In nine months a revenue of £1507 is reported from the trolleybuses : 229,641 passengers were carried throughout that period, and the average re ceipts were 6.16d. per mile. The horse buses drew £84 in 12 months, yielding an average receipt of 3.54d.
per mile. The trolleybus installation is quoted as costing £7490. The tramways over the same district would have cost £'67,000. Yet Leeds is to extend its trolleybus system, We wonder why there is not the same active local propaganda on the part of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders as there is on the side of the combined tramways interests, in various parts of the country.
There are several Yinot cabs now garaged in the West End with three-quarter landaulet bodies, bevelled plate glass windows, and elaborately curved window-frames.
Motor Trips for Weavers.
Enterprising firms in the Lancashire districts are taking pains to secure well-equipped and speedy chars-a-banes for the holiday transport of the mill hands and other workers, who are showing a decided preference for this mode of travelling.
Buses in Glasgow.
At a meeting of the Glasgow Corporation, a councillor gave notice of a motion which he intended to move, asking the Tramways Committee to consider the advisability of acquiring motorbuses for tapping the districts beyond the present tramway termini.
Five Taxicabs-100 Men.
A deputation of jarveys recently waited on the Waterford Borough Council to protest against the proposed licensing of four or five taxicabs or buses. They pleaded that if these licences were granted "100 unfortunate men would lose their means of livelihood." After a heated discussion the deputation withdrew Dennis Deliveries in Lancashire.
Carr's Ltd., a well-known motor company in Bury, has taken over an 18-seated torpedo-type Dennis char-k-banes, which will be used for short pleasure trips in Lancashire. The Central Carnage Co., of Bury, has taken delivery of a char-abanes with seating a,ecommodation for 20 passengers.
The Owner-Driver.
The Owner-Drivers' Association now has the assistance of the " A.A." and special insurance and tire facilities. Engineers are taking up the question of cab maintenance, and the small outlying garage with properly equipped workshop will always have motor cabs to maintain to serve the public interest, both in the Metropolis and greater London. The Hon. Arthur Stanley, M.P., presided at the dinner of the Motorcab Owner-Drivers' Association, which was held on the 30th May. Among those present were, Mr. Julian W. Orde, Mr. R. Moffatt Ford, Mr. C. J. Clark, and Mr. J. E. Davies. Letters apologizing for their absence were received from Lord Alverstone and Sir Edward Henry.