Move to Raise B.T.C. Engineers' Status
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THE status of professional engineers employed by the British Transport Commission is to be investigated by a sub-committee of the Engineers' Guild. It is considered that salary scales in the middle and upper ranges are abnormally low, comparing unfavourably with those in central and local government, and that there is no satisfactory representation for professional engineers on negotiating machinery.
These conditions, say the Guild, are having an adverse effect on recruitment and retention of staff, especially in filling senior positions. The Guild have increased their membership among B.T.C. engineers and a case for an improvement in their conditions is to be presented to the Commission.
HIGHER FARES FOR CHILDREN
HIGHER fares which will come into operation on Sunday are expected by Sheffield Corporation to produce an extra £120,000 a year.
Children's rates are mainly affected. The new ratio of children's to adult fares is: Id. for adult stages up to 3d., 2d. up to 5d., 3d. up to 7d., and 4d. up to 9d. The age limit for children's fares has been raised to 15 years, although they are available to students up to 18 years travelling to and from school and school playing fields.
Stage lengths are to be reduced where they are at present above the average.
SHORTAGE OF TRANSPORT COMING?
A GR1CULTURE and industry on the Pi Scottish border face a transport shortage, it is reported. The South of Scotland Chamber of Commerce states that the Hawick depot of British Road Services has been completely closed down and vehicles are up for sale at Kelso, Galashiels, Haddington and Edinburgh.
If vehicles are sold and transferred to other parts of the country, there will, the Chamber claims, be insufficient transport for local needs. The Chamber is to co-operate with branches of the National Farmers' Union to prepare a report on the matter.
QUADRUPLE ORDERS FOR COMETS rIVERSEAS orders for Leyland la Comet medium-capacity passenger chassis received so far this year are nearly four times greater than demands made in the whole of 1953. India has ordered Comets to the value of Elm. during the past 11 months, and repeat contracts have come from most countries which ordered these vehicles in 1953.
Comets are now in service in some 15 different countries.