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Our Analysis of

8th March 1932, Page 104
8th March 1932
Page 104
Page 105
Page 104, 8th March 1932 — Our Analysis of
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MUNICIPAL Bus SERVICES

Our Annual Statistical Compilation, Based Upon Official Returns, Giving Details of the Composition of the Motorbus and Trolley-bus Fleets of Local Authorities Throughout Great Britain

OUR annual statistical compilation, giving details of the strengths of the motorbus and trolley-bus fleets of municipal authorities throughout Great Britain, which has Proved of such value in past years, contains, this year, authentic particulars relating to 101 authorities, as compared with 98 a year ago. Although considerable additions have been made to the fleets of certain big authorities, the figures have, in many instances, remained more or less eon

stant. Nevertheless, the importance of municipal services is clearly indicated by the fact that over 6,000 buses are now in regular service. Furthermore, local authorities continue to be big buyers of buses, and a noteworthy feature is the increasing Interest in the oil-engined vehicle.

Accompanying the statistics we give brief information on aspects of passenger transport, this being based on the views expressed by leading officials. Trade conditions have a great bearing on the working of municipal bus services, and in South Wales transport conditions are, to a great extent, governed by the coal industry, the state of which has been anything but bright since 1926. As Mr. W. E. Richardson, A.M.I.E.E., A.M.Inst.T., general manager of the electricity and transport department of ABERDARE, points out, transport undertakings have to be in a position to carry large numbers of workmen when neces sary, and, therefore, slackness creates considerable hardship.

It is the opinion of Mr. H. P. H. Gibson, the engineer and surveyor Of BEDWAS and Mac'mmt, that traffic in thickly populated areas like those of South Wales can best be handled by short, intermediate town services, without any restrictions on the picking-up and Setting-down of passengers. He finds that the intermediate town services are being used more by the people living in the country who want to get into the towns, than by the people living in the towns who have business to transact in the country.

The regular municipal bus services in COVENTRY and district cover about 40 miles of route. For dealing with heavy traffic its the central area some large-capacity six-wheeled vehicles are in use, and they have proved very satisfactory, but for meeting the needs of outlying districts, where the traffic is much lighter, 26-seater vehicles are found to be of value. Apart from the services which are regularly run, certain cross-town services are operated in the early morning, noon and evening for conveying workpeople to and from their places of business. The bus services of the municipality are confined to the city and surrounding districts, the longdistance routes being left in the hands of certain private operators who co-operate with the corporation on an agreed basis of fares where the vehicles traverse certein sections within the area of municipal working. Mr. T. It Whitehead, M.I.Meeh.E., is the general manager and engineer of the transport department, which operates 62 vehicles.

The outstanding feature of the past year in connection with the municipal-transport undertaking at DEany has been the conversion of one of the tramcar routes to trolley-bus operation this being the first stage of the proposed changeover of the whole system. Mr. P. W. Bancroft, the 'general manager a the bus department, tells us that the intention is to work all the main, heavy traffic routes, on which there are frequent stops, by trolley-buses, whilst cross-town services and those on which the traffic is light will be served by petrol buses.

Mr. T. Potts, who is general manager of the tramways and motors department at DONCASTER, expresses the opinion, from all the evidence he has heard before the Traffic Colnmiskioners during the past year, that prohibition is the only form of protection which will enable essential local services to continue, whether these be maintained by trams, motorbuses or trolley-buses, and whether they are municipally or privately owned. In his view, the additional cost of operating purely local services does not seem to be recognized, and be adds that there is an essential difference between giving a " service " in an area and "serving" that particular locality.

On May 16th, 1931, the substitution of petrol buses for tramcars was carried out on one of the long-distance routes in DUNDEE. Mr. Robert Taylor, the general manager of the transport department, tells us that the substitution of buses for trams on another route has been approved by the corporation and the change-over will be effected so soon as the additional vehicles on order are delivered.

Municipal bus and tram services in Forrintrecu are complementary to each other and both types have been extended to new suburban areas as the needs of the community arose. During the past three years the bus fleet has been brought up to date by the purchase of new vehicles, and this year the remainder of the old vehicles purchased in 1920 and 1921

will be disposed of. The fleet, instead of being badly balanced, will then be thoroughly modern. Mr. F. A. 'Fitzpayne, general manager of the transport department, expresses the view that the operation of the Road Traffic Act has, so far as one can judge, worked quite well in the Southern Scottish area, although it has involved operators in -a considerable amount of extra work and expense.

The bus fleet of GLASGOW Corporation is an extensive one and, since our last analysis was published, nearly 60 vehicles have been added to the fleet. So far as local services in the city are concerned, Mr. L. MacKinnon, the general manager, tells us that there has not been very much expansion during the past year. As many of our readers will know, the corporation has a monopoly of the transnort services within the city boundary.


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