SUMMONS AGAINST L.P.T.B. DISMISSED
Page 54
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THE hearing was continued at the Mansion House on Monday last of the summons against the London Transport Board in connection with the emission of smoke from a London bus. The first hearing was reported in our last week's issue.
Evidence was given on behalf of the Board by two mechanics who said they had examined the bus on the day it was stopped by the police constable and, after running the engine, they found that the vehicle did not emit any undue quantity of smoke.
Mr. Fox-Andrews, on behalf of the Board, explained that London Transport never allowed a bus to run after the oil consumption had dropped to 100 mpg, The bus in question, when examined after it had been stopped by the polices was averaging 150 m.p.g., and he submitted that it was maintained in proper and efficient order.
Alderman Sir W, Phene Neal said that there had never been any suggestion that the Board's system was in any way at fault. The complaint applied only to one particular bus. There was, he said, a doubt in his mind as to whether the smoke emitted could have been prevented 'by the exercise of more care, and he therefore dismissed the summonses against both the driver and the Board.
BLACKPOOL EXCURSION OPERATORS TO APPEAL.
A NUMBER of small excursion I—I operators at 131ackpool is faced with a serious position following a decision of the Traffic Commissioners not to allow them to use the streets as starting points for excursions, as they
have done in the past. In place of street stands, the Commissioners have made the operators' garages the starting points. As certain of these are in remote parts of the town it is claimed that they are useless for a. business MO which depends so much upon the patronage of passers-by. The operators concerned are lodging an appeal.
Public stands have been a problem at Blackpool for some time, the main objection to the use of the streets being
the congestion caused thereby. Recently, however, the Corporation was granted facilities to run tours of the illuminations from the Promenade,
REORGANIZATION OF ECCLES TRANSPORT SERVICES.
ON Monday last, Eccles Town Council adopted a resolution that a special committee should consider in what way the public service transport system in the borough should be developed or reorganised in the future.
It was pointed out that the lease, under which Salford Corporation has operated tramway services in the borough for the past 33 years, expires in 1939, and it was said that these services cost Eccles £5,000 a year and they had ,nothing to show for it. The opinion was expressed that a joint hoard should be formed to operate transport services over a wide area around Manchester, and that Eccles should be adequately represented.
NO FARES REDUCTION AT WYTHENSHAWE.
MANCHESTER Corporation transport committee has snnounced that, after considering representations for cheaper fares to the new Wythenshawe housing estate, it has decided that such concessions cannot be
granted. The fares per mile to this district are now cheaper than those elsewhere. The 811, return fares now average 18 miles and the committee feels that it cannot differentiate substantially between one district and another.
INVESTIGATION INTO DUBLIN BUS FARES.
ACOMMITTER is to be Est up by he Free State Minister for Industry and Commerce toinvestigate the recent
increase in bus fares in Dublin. A thorough investigation into the whole position is to be. made and, should the Minister decide that the new scales of fares are excessive, further action may • be taken by the setting up of a tribunal.
MERSEY TUNNEL MUNICIPAL SERVICES?
AREPORT of transport experts, representing the Corporations of Liverpool and Birkenhead, regarding
the possibility of a municipal bus ser vice through the Mersey Tunnel, states that at present such a service is im practicable, due to the high fares which it would be necessary to charge in, order to cover the tunnel tolls.
It does not follow, however, that, if the two corporations concerned do not undertake a service, there will not be one. During this month there is to be a special sitting of the Traffic Com missioners for the North-Western Area, at which the two corporations are to be asked to show cause why the applica tion of Crosville Motor Services, Ltd., to run a service through the tunnel, should not be granted.
It is reported that, before the corporations state their case, they have to hold their final meeting on the subject, in order to consider fully the experts' report and to decide upon a final policy.
The findings Of the experts are, of course, subject to the review of the councils of both municipalities.
It is also pointed out that, by a special Act of Parliament, the tunnel tolls could be reduced or abolished in the case of public vehicles, so as to make the municipal service, or a service run by a private concern, a paying proposition.
BLACKPOOL OPERATOR TO TAKE OVER NEW SERVICES.
APPLICATION has been made to the Traffic Commissioners by W. C. Standerwick, Ltd., of Blackpool, for permission to take over certain services previously operated by other Blackpool concerns. The services concerned are the Colne-London, Blackpool-London and Blackpool-Birmingham routes, previously operated by J. Bracewell, Ltd., and the Blackpool-London and Fleetwood-London services previously operated by Wood Brothers (Blackpool),
• Ltd.
C.M.U.A. LICENSING SCHEME: PROGRESS AT MANCHESTER.
A MEETING of members of the Com mercial Motor Users Association was held in Manchester on Thursday of last week, to discuss the association's passenger-vehicle licensing scheme. This offers a special inducement for those enrolling at once, as the entrance fse of £11 is to be increased within a month or two. The constitution and objects of the scheme were approved by the meeting, and a committee was formed to pursue the matter.
The committee comprises Messrs. A. Mayne, Fargher, Wm. Cooper, A. Connolly, F. Washington, E. A. Scott, Mullaney, 'I'. Swann and H. Ashford. The chairman is to be elected at a further meeting this week. A schedule of fees was agreed to, also a list of sums payable for dealing with applications in court. • A specially qualified solicitor is to be engaged for the conduct of the cases.