Buses or Trams at Nottingham ?
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THE QUESTION of the establishment of a general system of motorbuses, to 'meet especially the needs of suburban areas, has been long under discussion at Nottingham and reached a further important stage at a recent special meeting of the Corporation, called' for the purpose of taking the requisite steps to. promote a Bill in Parliament for securing powers considerably to extend the existing tramway system, and incidentally
to run such buses. •
The elaboration of the tramway tracks is being fostered coincidently with a scheme for bringing within the municipal boundaries a large number of -townships which now lie without the city area, but are mainly dependent upon Nottingham for their requirements in the matter of gas and water. supply.
The new tramways are to serve on the one side routes leading to Beeston and Chilwell, in the direction which trends from Nottingham towards Derby, whilst, on the other, the additional lines will be Projected northwards ta Hucknall, the power sought fordo relation to the motorbuses being limited at present also to running to the same three places beyond the municipal territory.
It is obvicus, however, that, granted the authority for municipal extension which is now being apPlied for, means of transport to and from the city must be much more widely extended, and public opinion locally appears to lean very much in favour of the adoption of the motorbus service.
For the present, in relation to the three places mentioned, the Corporation has decided to apply for dual powers, either to lay down. tramways or to 'run motor vehicles as expediency may suggest. From Mr. J. Farr, a practical electrical engineer and a member of the 2ouacal, resolution was forth
coming at last meeting that the sections in the Bill relating to tramways ehould be deleted. He strongly expreseed.theview that it was qiiite unbusinesslike and unprogressive .to spend money on tram extensions, his recommendation. being for`the more general use of motorbuses. The Cdrporation, however, decided to persevere with the Bill as originally drawn, seeking for alternative powers.
It may be that, as a matter of prudence, such Parliamentary safeguarding is not undesirable, but it has already been made abundantly clear locally that, when the choice has to be eventually made, there will be a much stronger predilection shown in Nottingham in favour Of motorbuses than the vote of the council would seem to indicate.