More private services
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for London by Derek Moses
• On Thursday February 1 two new bus services were inaugurated by the enterprising firm of F. G. Wilder and Son Ltd., trading as Golden Miller Coaches, to serve developing housing areas around Hanworth, in the London Borough of Hounslow, and Charlton Village in the urban district of Sunbury-onThames.
Quite extensive housing development has taken place in this district of South West Middlesex, but both communities have lacked adequate transport facilities to the new shopping centre at Feltham and connections with the railway services to London.
A survey of the area was made by Golden Miller Coaches and following an application to London Transport, consent was granted by the Board to operate two services and licences obtained from the Traffic Commissioners. The services are Feltham Station to Shepperton Station via Feltham Hill, Spelthorne, Charlton Village and Littleton, and Feltham Station to Hanworth (The Swan) via Elmwood Avenue, Fernside and Hanworth (Brown Bear) returning to Feltham Station.
Both routes operate at approximately hourly intervals between 07.00 and 19.00 hours on Mondays to Saturdays inclusive. The services have been fully integrated with the times of trains at both stations and have also been timed so that they can be operated by one bus. This resulted in a fast schedule of 19.4 mph (without layover time) and the driver has been relieved of ticket issuing by the use of a coin box designed and made by the Golden Miller engineering staff.
The Shepperton route serves an area previously without buses and it is interesting from the point of view that it passes the large film studios at Littleton.
On Monday I travelled on both services during the mid-morning period. Traffic was very slack, although the driver reported that it has been on the increase since last Thursday. I was struck, however, by the potential
traffic which could come to the new services, and also from the fast running. The driver reported that employees at the film studios had shown an interest in the service, but seemed to be waiting to see if it was reliable before using it.
While I was with the bus several people asked for timetables, which were distributed by the driver. One passenger required change, and while the driver, on this occasion, was able to furnish it, the success of the services will depend upon passengers tendering the correct coin for their journey.
If the new services prove to be reliable, and there is every indication that they will be, then they should become successful, once passengers have become familiar with the timings. I felt, however, that the areas served warranted a more frequent service than one operating only hourly. One passenger was lost while I was at Feltham because the wait for the next Hanworth bus would have been too long.