U.T.A. Opens RoadRail Station
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ROAD and -rail facilities at Ballymena have been concentrated by Ulster Transport Authority into a single terminal. Ballymena is the ninth point where former railway property has been employed for bus standings. Previously, buses started from three widely dispersed centres in the town, these points being a long way from the railway station. Few amenities existed for bus passengers, who were obliged to wait in the open. Supervision of the services was difficult and staff were handicapped by lack of accommodation.
Now all buses converge at the road
rail terminal, where there are excellent facilities for the public, with waiting rooms, refreshment rooms and covered accommodation. More commodious offices have been provided for the bus staffs, whilst drivers and conductors have been given a rest room and an improved paying-in centre.
Use of the new terminal will relieve • traffic congestion on the main BelfastPortrush road through Ballymena and there will be accommodation for about 30 buses, catering for 400 arrivals and departures on ordinary week-days and about 550 on Saturdays.
There are now over 20 points in Northern Ireland where road and rail services have been given a direct link of this nature and over 3,500 connections are thus provided.
MORE CAUTIOUS WAGES POLICY
MR. F. I. EATON, the representative of the National Association of Turn it is r e Warehousemen and Removers on the Road Haulage Wages Council, recently told the executive council of the Association that he had every reason to believe that a more cautious wages policy was now being followed in the road haulage industry.
He had, he said, always opposed applications for increased wages when he felt that they were not justified or were of an inflationary character. This had been the policy of the employers' panel as a whole.
CUTS IN WORCESTER: COUNCIL PAYS LOSS.
IT is planned to curtail bus services
in Worcester because the Birmingham and Midland"Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., lost £5,160 on its operations in the city in 1951 and the first five months of this year. The company has made applications to the West Midland Licensing Authority on the recommendation of Worcester Traffic Corn7 mittee.
The deficit is the first to be suffered since the services were started in 1928, and the city council has agreed to recompense the concern. It has declined, however, to empower the traffic committee to pay for future losses, subject to quarterly reports being submitted.
BOLTON'S £11,213 CUTS
'FURTHER alterations and cuts in -1 Bolton Transport Department's services have been submitted by tilt transport committee for the approval of the town council. It is estimated that these will reduce bus mileage by 178,500 a year and save £i1,213.
Lo.T. SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS THE council of the Institute of Trans1 port has approved the award of two Henry Spurrier memorial scholarships, three Henry Spurrier memorial grants and eight Sir William Chamberlain memorial grants for 1952-53.
The two scholarships were awarded to Mr. W. Hughes (graduate), of . the North Leeds group of British Road Services, and to Mr. A. E. Hopkins (student), Leicester. Transport Department, to enable them to study full-time at the London School of Economics for B.Sc. (Econ.) degrees.