Private Buses versus Municipal Trams.
Page 17
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THE _bus service between Newport and Chepstow' run by the South Wales Commercial Motor Co., is to be abandoned, the company having notified the corporation that as the service is not a. financial success it will be discontinued during this month.
The company allege that the conditions of service imposed by the corporation do not admit of its successful operation, and paint out that the stipulation of a minimum fare imposed by the council on passengers to and from the town centre and outside areas not only affects those who would travel immediately beyond tho borough boundary, hot those travelling considerable distances.
The condition was Axed to protect the municipal tramways eervice, but the company declare that they do not desire to pick up passengers within the tramway area for transit from one part of the town to another, and protest against the imposition of an additional borough area charge onpassengers, Since the notice of suspension of service has been made Meetings have been held in villages on the route served calling upon the council to abolish the condition of minimum fare and to ensure the public a convenient and regular road service.
At a recent meeting of the council it was contended that even though some decrease of tramway receipts would be incurred by the abolition of the con
dition, the additional revenue accruing to Newport tradespeople by a greater influx of people to the town would amply compensate any such loss.
In an interview Alderman Moxon, the chairman of the Newport Tramways Committee, denied that the conditions imposed made it impossible to run a service. He declares that the services have been run under conditions which the owners themselves asked the Ministry of Transport to allow, and, although these conditions have not been adhered to, the Newport Corporation has not taken ekceptien to the departures made. He added that another service between Chepstow and Newport has been arranged and will commence in March.
It is necessary to add that the answer of the bus companies to Alderman 31 oxon is that when the Newport Corporation refused altogether to allow buses to run to the centre of the town they were forced to accept conditions which were far from desirable, and it was their appeal to the Ministry that. secured for them the right to run into the town.