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THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS

7th July 1933, Page 67
7th July 1933
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Page 67, 7th July 1933 — THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
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CHIEF OFFICIALS OF L.P.T. • BOARD.

THE names of the chief officials of the London Passenger Transport Board, which took over London's pasfienger-travel services on July 1, are now announced and those of interest to our readers are as follow:—

Secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. S. Anderson; comptroller and accountant, Mr. C. S. Louch; operating manager, buses (central area), Mr. A. C. Richardson ; engineer, buses (central area), Mr. A. A. M. Durrant ; general manager, buses (country area and coaches), Mr. A. H. Hawkins ; chief engineer, Mr. A. R. Cooper ; commercial manager, Mr. A. L. Barber.

The Minister of Transport has made certain Ordezs, which came into operation on July 1, to provide for the transition from the ,existing system of licensing vehicles and drivers to the new arrangement established under the London Passenger Transport Act. The substance of these Orders was given in last week's issue.

P.S.V. REGULATIONS AMENDED FOR SIXTH TIME.

Fort the sixth time, the Public Service

Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness) Pro'visional Regulations, 1931, have been amended, this time by the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness) (Amendment) Provisional Regulations, 1933, dated May 31, 1933.

The regulations concern front lifeguards, and a copy may be obtained Irons H.M. Stationery Office, or through any bookseller, price id.

INSPECTING LICENCE RECORDS.

THE Minister of Transport has made the Public Service Vehicle (Record of Licences) Regulations, 1933, which replace corresponding Provisional Regulations made in 1931. The Regulations no longer require a fee to be charged for the inspection of the licence records, but it may be recalled that, under Section 83 of the Road Traffic Act, the right of inspection is limited to persons who appear to the Commissioners to have reasonable ground for claiming to do so.

"RED AND WHITE" WINS CONTRACT-CARRIAGE CASE.

THE Merthyr Tydfil Stipendiary Magistrate was asked by the solicitor prosecuting for the South Wales Commissioners, to 'state a ease" for appeal, when he dismissed a summons against Red and White Services, Ltd., for using a bus without road service licence.

It was alleged that a party of women went by a Red and White bus to London on a four-days' visit. When stopped in Merthyr by the police, a Mrs. Davies claimed to be in charge of the party, and to have charged 17s. 6d. per head.

In evidence, Mrs. Davies said that all the members of the party did not know each other. She paid Red and White Services, Ltd., £17 10s. for the hire of the vehicle, and she made no mention of the number of passengers in her :agreement with the company. It was just an outing of her friends. For the defence, it was stated that the vehicle was hired as contractcarriage for a party and any arrangement per head was one made by Mrs. Davies. The stipendiary said that he had no difficulty in concluding this to be contract-carriage work.

COMMISSIONER SUGGESTS SELLING OF SERVICE.

AT a sitting of the Northern Traffic Commissioners, last Friday, it was stated that the Northallerton-Catterick Service of the Leeds and Newcastle Omnibus Co., Ltd., had been withdrawn, because two of the buses used upon it had been condemned. Sir John Max

well, chairman of the Commissioners, said that this was no excuse. He suggested that the company should approach Mr. Dennis, of Tunstall, who runs a service on market days, with a view to his taking over the route.

BIG WAGES CONFERENCE.

ON Tuesday last, a conference was held in Glasgow to consider the proposed new wages agreement between the Transport and General Workers Union and the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., about 6,000 employees being concerned.

PRE-BOOKED PARTIES: M.H.C.SA. APPEAL.

THIS week, the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association lodged an nppeal against the decision of the Southern Commissioners granting Elliott Bros. (Bournemouth), Lid., a licence for pre-booked party work.

UNDERWOOD CHARTS FOR G.T.A.

THE General Travel Agency (Lon don), Ltd., noW holds charts for the "Underwood Express" service to Portsmouth, Southsea and the Isle of Wight. These charts are held jointly with Varsity Express Motors, Ltd.

Now that the " Solent " service to Portsmouth has passed to A. Timpsou and Sons, Ltd., the G.T.A. has relinquished those charts. HULL CORPORATION PACT WITH "EAST YORKSHIRE."

IT is reported that Hull Transport Committee has approved the main features of an agreement to be entered into with East Yorkshire Motor Services, Ltd., for the co-ordination of bus operation. It is believed that the subject was to to be discussed at yesterday's meeting of the council.

The Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners have approved the arrangement, the object of which is presumed to be the avoidance of overlapping, and it is stated that provision is made for the pooling of receipts, the profits being allocated on a percentage basis.

LINCS CONCERNS BUYING OUT SMALL OPERATORS.

WE understand that Messrs. B. Fitchett and C. W. Brown, who operate bus services between Brigg and Messingham, have been purchased by Enterprise and Silver Dawn Motors, Ltd. Messrs. Fitchett's tours and excursions business is also taken over.

Messrs. Arrund's Scunthorpe-Skegness service, via Brigg and Louth, is, it is understood, passing into Lincolnshire Road Car Co.'s control. This will give the Lincolnshire company a footing in territory west of Brigg, which has hitherto been considered by the " Federation" to be a Yorkshire Traction preserve.

NATIONAL COMPANIES' PURCHASES.

THE Southern National Omnibus Co.,

Ltd., has, we learn, arranged to purchase Messrs. E. C. Toogood's bus services, with two different ShaftesburyYeovil routes. Messrs. S. Lang, of Bideford, who operate between Westward Ho! and Ilfracombe, are also to be absorbed.

The Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., has applied for the transfer of Messrs. T. W. H. Griffith's HalsteadColchester licence, and has now been authorized by the Eastern Traffic Commissioners to operate the Grays-Tilbury Ferry services of Messrs. A. R. Greenslade and J. J. Naish.

MAIDSTONE AND DISTRICT REARRANGEMENTS.

AS from July 1, Maidstone and Dis trict Motor Services, Ltd., made a number of rearrangements, consequent upon the inauguration of the London Passenger Transport Board. The Gravesend-London coach service was withdrawn, and all Chatham and Gillingham coaches now run via Watling Street.

Maidstone-London coaches do not now pick up nearer London than Wrotham, and a substantial reduction in their journey time has been made. To accommodate passengers from these routes, the L.P.T.B. has extended the Green Line routes A and I to Gravesend from Dartford and Wrotham from Farningham respectively, and we understand that Maidstone and District return tickets will be available on them until July 31.

Twelve local routes in the Gravesend neighbourhood were also taken over from the Maidstone and District concern by the conntry department of the L.P.T.B. , TRAMWAYS CO. SEEKS INJUNCTION AGAINST COUNCIL.

IN the Chancery Division, last week, Mr. Justice Farwell dismissed an action by the Great Grimsby Street Tramways Co., seeking an injunction to prevent Cleethorpes Urban District Council from operating buses between points served by the company's trams. It was desired to prevent the council from contravening an agreement of April 18, 1911, and the council's Act of 1928.

It was explained that the 1911 agreement laid it down that the company should run trains at certain fares and that the council. should not interest itself in any service between the points served by the company's trams. The company feared that, if a competitive bus service were allowed, it would diminish the value of the trains and would affect the price to be paid by the council when taking them over. The whole case arose in connection with .a service which Cleethorpes had been li used to run.

The council's Act of 1928 incorporated the agreement of 1911, and a clause provided that the council should not, without the consent of the tramways company, operate or be financially interested in trolley-bus or motorbus services running " between any points served by the company's trains."

The company contended that the expression " points " did not mean the actual point on the route, but an area from which passengers from the trains might reasonably be drawn. The bus service proposed to be run, it was contended, would compete with the trains and would constitute a breach of the agreement and the Act.

Mr. Justice Farwell maintained that a point was some definite spot, such as the terminus of the tram service, and not an area around a point, and the proposed service would not constitute a breach of the agreement.

RED AND WHITE EXTENDS TO LLANELLY.

ON July 1, Red and White Services, Ltd., which, jointly with Black and White Motorways, Ltd., has acquired the London-Llanelly service of the South Wales Express Co., Ltd., extended its London-Swansea service to Llanelly, instead of continuing the South Wales Express route.

On the extended service, coaches previously left London at 8.15 a.m. and arrived at Swansea at 7.55 p.m., proeeeding via Oxford. This service now commences from London at 9 a.m. and arrives at Llanelly at 8-.40 p.m.

LICENCE LOST THROUGH IRREGULAR RUNNING. SEVERAL allegations of irregular operation were made against Messrs. W. Crawford and Son, at a sitting of the Eastern Traffic Commissioners, at Cambridge, last week.

It was stated that the firm had worked irregularly during 41 of the 52 weeks of the currency of the licence. Messrs. Crawford applied for the renewal of a stage-carriage licence and for an excursion and tour licence.

It was alleged that the firm had been fined for not keeping to its timetable and that a relief bus had frequently been used as a duplicate. A policeinspector said that no timetable n50 appeared to be observed in connection with the second vehicle. It was further maintained that Messrs. Crawford cut excursion fares on certain occasions.

The Commissioners refused to grant an excursion licence, but issued a stagecarriage licence, coupled with a severe warning as to the applicants' future conduct.

BRIGHTON MERGER INQUIRY.

ON July 19, at 10.30 a.m., the Minis ter of Transport will hold an inquiry into the proposed amalgamation of Brighton Corporation's tramways undertaking with the bus organization of Thomas Tilling, Ltd.

STATION FOR xEswicii.

A THREE-ACRE site, the principal

coach park in Keswick, has been transformed into a modern station by Cumberland Motor Services, Ltd., Whitehaven. It is a single-storey building, with office accommodation for the Cumberland concern and Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., waiting-rooms, shops, a

café, etc. Two garages at the rear house the area fleets of the Cumberland and Ribble concerns. It is the first station in the "Capital of Lakeland" and provides a much-needed facility.

LOWER FARES SOUGHT.

JARROW Corporation is to make re presentations to the Northern Traffic Commissioners for a reduction in bus fares, owing to the reduction in the price of petrol.

ALL-BRITISH CHARTS CHANGE.

Y arrangement between the General Travel Agency (London), Ltd., and the All-British Line, the charts for this service are now held by Messrs. Evan Evans, 71, Russell Square, London, W.C.1.

LICENCE SUSPENDED. FROM July 3-9, the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners suspended the licence of Mr. J. Bailey, of Bolton, Wilberfoss. It was alleged that Mr. Bailey had infringed the licence conditions in connection with his York-Pocklington service and had not operated to timetable.

METROPOLITAN COMMISSIONEWS REPLY TO M.H.C.S.A.

THE Motor Hirers and Coach Ser

vices Association has received from the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner a reply to its letter addressed to the Commissioner concerning the granting of a licence to Green Line Coaches, Ltd., in respect of a service to Ascot

races. The Association's letter was dealt with in last week's issue.

It has been necessary for the Green Line service to operate under the Transitory Provisions Order since February, 1931, and that Order authorized the operation of only the same number of vehicles which was run before that date. The Commissioner states that he had no jurisdiction to vary the effect of the Transitory Provisions Order to allow the company to operate a greater number of vehicles, and the only course to adopt was to make an application under Regulation 49.

Notice of the application was given by telephone to the regular operators of road and rail services to Ascot, but it was not fehsible to give notice to the numerous excursion operators. The concerns notified made no objection.

The application before the Commissioner was supported by evidence of a heavy demand for travel facilities in 1932, and the Commissioner felt that it was his duty to provide for the public requirements. He feels that the company was not to blame for not having foreseen that the Transitory Provisions Order would still be in force in 1933, and considers that an employee of Green Line Coaches, Ltd., must accidentally have omitted to make the proper application in time.

The Commissioner states that he could not make it a condition that, for duplicate vehicles on a regular service, a fare greater than that usually charged should be instituted.

He felt that, in fairness to other operators, the company should be restricted to pick up only at Great Scotland Yard, and, each morning during the Ascot races, the Commissioner personally visited that point and found there was a considerable demand for the service. MERGERS IN POTTERIES?

A STATEMENT concerning the

tuture operation of buses in the Potteries district was made, last week, by Col. A. S. Redman, chairman of the West Midland Commissioners. He said that it was rather disconcerting to find that, in the third year of the working of the Road Traffic Act, so much time and expense were involved in disputing, before the Commissioners, modifications of services and fares.

Col. Redman thought that amalgamations or exchanges of services appeared to be indicated, in order that the present state of affairs should be terminated. He asked operators to continue to endeavour to settle their differences in private, and issued the warning that, if they could not make such an arrangement, the Commissioners might have to segregate operators with regard to routes.

NO FOUR-JOURNEY TICKETS.

AN application by an operator in the Potteries to issue four-journey tickets was refused by the. West Midland Traffic Commissioners, last week. The intention was to encourage workers to fuse buses during the lunch interval, but the Commissioners pointed out that such a ticket might be transferred from the purchaser to another passenger. RIBBLE POSITION AT BOOTLE.

AT the 14th annual general meeting

of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., Preston, Mr. W. S. Wreathall, the chairman, expressed the hope that the proceedings at .Bootle (to which The Commercial Motor has often referred) would soon be settled.

He also. mentionedthat the amount of work involved in placing cases before the Traffic Commissioners showed a slight decline, although the saving had not been so great as was anticipated. The company was, he said, still experiencing some difficulty with' the regulation which concerned drivers' working hours.


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