Minister Supports Scots Fare Scales
Page 35

If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
REPLYING to a petition protesting against the fares increases granted to Scottish Omnibuses, Ltd., last _ September, Mr. A. Barnes, Minister of Transport, has supported the Licensing Authority's decision. The petition complained that the new fares had txceeded the 71 per cent, increase which it was said the variations entailed.
Mr. Barnes, in his reply, states that the effect of the decision was to standardize all the fares of the Scottish Omnibus group—with minor exceptions —over a wide area, on the basis of Id. a mile for single journeys and id. per mile for returns. Period tickets were established on a common scale; the conditions governing the issue of schoolchildren's tickets were also common all over Scotland.
The statement that the increases would average 71 per cent, was not made by the Licensing Authority, said Mr. Barnes. Increases were restricted where fares were exceptionally low, hut greater advances than the average had been applied to fares below average. Arrangements had also been made to enable workmen to use a weekly ticket on Sundays, on production of an employer's certificate.
8521m. SPENT ON REPAIRS IN 1948 IN 1948, £52,426,000 worth of work was carried out by establishments engaged in repairing motor vehicles and cycles, and the repair staffs of transport undertakings. This figure is given in the Census of Production for 1948 which covers establishments employing more than 10 persons engaged on repairs, but excludes those concerns doing routine maintenance. The comparative figure for 1935 was £17,704,000.
Materials, fuel and electricity used in 1948 cost £19,304,000, and £2,534,000 was paid for work given out. The value of net output was £30,588,000, whilst wages and salaries absorbed £22,089,000.
The number of establishments doing repair work is given as 1,349 and the number of persons employed as 72,364. The net output per employee was £423.