SUNDERLAND TO DISCARD ITS TRAMCARS.
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A VERY interesting development, sig. nn-leant of the trend of public demand in the way of road passenger facilities, is at present receiving much attention on 1Vearside, where the Sunderland 'District Tramways Co., Ltd., who have, already substituted several tram routes by motorboses, are now contemplating the Wholesale 'abandenrnent of trams in favour of the more mobile form of locomotion. To this end extraordinary general meetings have beers snmnioned•for October 7th and 23rd, at which the position is to be reviewed.
In announcing the meetings, the company state that the abandonment of tramcars in favour of buses has been under consideration for some time past. The question has arisen .by reason of the fact that the permanent-way and transmission cables of the tramway system call for the expenditure of a very cansiderable sum of money to make them suitable for the proper maintenance' of the services, and, in view of presentday labour and material costs, the necessary expenditure is quite beyond the scope of the funds of the company.
A further reason in favour Of the operation of buses instead of trams is that serious conipetition has been set up by. various. bus companies • and by private owners, and this, in the opinion of the principals of the company, can only be dealt with 'effectively by the change proposed. It is added that the general feeling in' the district' is that motorbuses are preferredto trams, by . reason of their higher -road speed and infinitely wider range of operation. • . Already buses have been introduced over several sections of the Company's passenger-carrying system with • extremely gratifying results, for the directors announce that these vehicles have proved even more successful than was lhoped 'for, and that the receipts have been appreciably increased.
The •present proposal is to secure power to abandon the whole of the existing tramway system and to utilize the money secured from the sale of stock and equipment on the provision of.a bus fleet. Already the sum of £19,000 out of available funds has been expended upon the purchase of 18 buses.