... and Fuel Tax which Limits Engine Size
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QPEAKING this week as chairman of J.–, the North Western Road Car Co. Ltd., at the company's a.g.m., Mr. Williams said that one of the effectsof fuel tax was that in many cases the power of engines was reduced, this preventing bus operators from achieving the vehicle acceleration they might wish for. Without the tax, he continued, it was likely that bigger engines would be used, giving improved performance. The company's total yield from the last three fares increases was almost identical to the annual cost of fuel taxation and, had the tax not been imposed, the company could now be operating at fares current in 1961.
• The Manchester-London services had now been completely reorganized, Mr. Williams reported, with reduced journey times, and daily fast journeys operating on M1 and M6 with an overall journey time, including a refreshment halt, of 54hours had been introduced. Additional express holiday services were introduced last summer from Manchester to Cleethorpes and to Aberystwyth, and in association with The Potteries Motor Traction Co. Ltd., from Harrisea Head to Llandudno. This summer, new services were operating from Manchester to Southend and Manchester-Whitby, A26 continued North Western's chairman.
During the year 50 new vehicles had been added to the fleet at a cost of some £.330,000, and 65 vehicles had been withdrawn. Of the new buses, said Mr. Williams, 38 were large-capacity Daimler Fleetline and A.E.C. Renown doubledeckers, the remaining vehicles being coaches. A further 30 double-deck vehicles of similar type would be delivered before the end of the summer, he reported, together with 10 single-deck vehicles; the latter are understood to be Redford VALs.