Operating Aspects of PASSENGER TRANSPORT
Page 55
Page 56
Page 57
Page 58
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE TRAFFIC AREAS
PROGRESS OF THE "TRAVEL BY ROAD" CAMPAIGN.
THE secretary of the "Travel by Road" Campaign, Mr. C. Rudy, has sent a letter to all operators outlining the progress with the project.
The preliminary committee recommends that, so soon as possible, 100,000 showeards and 250,000 leaflets for publicizing coach travel should be released. The showcards should be designed by a well-known artist and printed in three colours, at an estimated cost of £175, whilst the leaflets are estimated to cost £75.
It has been suggested that the minimum subscription should be £5 per operator, or, in the case of a man with fewer than five coaches, at the rate of £1 per vehicle. Strong efforts are being made to get the campaign under way by Easter.
LARGE NEW GARAGE.
LARGE garage has been opened at Northampton for the vehicles of the United Counties Omni
bus Co., Ltd. The premises have a total floor area of 26,000 sq. ft. and the roof is of the single-Span type, the main lattice girder having a span of 120 ft. Spacious offices are provided, whilst in the garage itself, the equipment includes two electric petrol pumps of the latest design, capable of delivering 1S gallons a minute.
BUS PARKING FORBIDDEN.
CONSETT Urban District Council (Co. Durham) has decided to prohibit the use of Market Square as a parking ground for buses. An official of Messrs. Reed, one of the largest undertakings using the station, said, in an interview, that he doubted whether the council could enforce its decision as it did not own the land.
COUNCIL AND TROLLEY-BUSES.
HEANOR Urban District Council has informed the Notts. and Derby Traction Co. that it will oppose any step taken by the company to seek powers to run trolley-buses in Mundy Street oul Wilmot Street. BRADFORD STATION SCHEME DEFERRED.
BRADFORD City Council has ap proved the construction of a new street in the centre of Bradford, but consideration of that part of the scheme relating to the provision of a bus station has been deferred. A certain amount of opposition may be forthcoming.
OIL ENGINES FOR BUDAPEST BUSES.
A MESSAGE from Budapest states
that the buses operating in that city will soon be equipped with oil engines, constructed according to a Hungarian patent and differing in many points from foreign aorapression-ignition units.
SPEEDING UP SITTINGS.
TUE North Western Traffic Commis sioners are endeavouring to speed up public sittings by hearing unopposed applications first each day, so that parties concerned with opposed applications need not attend before 11.15 a.m. NORTHERN SCOTLAND COMMISSIONERS TO VISIT ORKNEY.
TEE chairman of the Northern Scot' land Traffic Commissioners, Mr. IL Riches, has announced that the Commissioners intend to visit Orkney later in the year to inquire personally into the situation obtaining in the island with regard to bus services. A sitting will be held there.
The Commissioners have also adjourned the hearing of licence applications so that the conference between the operators on the Kirkwall-Stromness route may be held, in order to arrive at an agreement for a uniform system of inter-available tickets.
U.A.S. STRIKERS DISMISSED.
THOSE employees of United Automobile Services, Ltd., who, as reported in last week's issue of The Commercial Motor, struck work, have been dis
missed. A representative of the Transport and General Workers' Union has stated that public meetings are to be organized in the area covered by the company, calling the public's attention to the working conditions of some of the U.A.S. drivers and conductors. The strike, it will be recalled, was of short duration.
NEWPORT TRANSPORT CHANGE?
AT Newport Non.) Town Council's
meeting this month it was proposed by certain members that as an aid to the electricity department, trolley-buses should replace the municipal petrol buses.
RIBBLE AND "PROTECTION."
THE North Western Traffic Commis
sioners have been asked to renew the licences for certain services of Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., in which Burnley Corporation is interested. The Ribble concern sought to give protection to the corporation by means of an additional fare, instead of being prevented from picking up and setting down passengers in competition with the municipal Services.
Some time ago the Commissioners granted Burnley Corporation protection over an area of a quarter of a mile from' B42
tho termini of several of its routes., but the Ribble company's appeal against this procedure was upheld by the Minister of Transport, who laid it down that protection should be decided on the merits of each case.
A HIGHWAYS FUNCTION.
A DANCE is being given by High
ways, Ltd., at the Porchester Hall, London, W.2, on January 31. The company's previous dance was most successful, and several well-known members of the passenger-transport industry were present.
SUNDERLAND-LIVERPOOL SERVICE REFUSED.
THE Northern Traffic Commissioners have refused to allow the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., and United Automobile Services, Ltd., to run a long-distance service from Sunderland
to Liverpool. The Northern Commissioners have refused a backing for the licence, but it is not known whether the Commissioners for the other two areas through which the service would pass have approved it.
"NORTHERN GENERAL" STAFF TRANSFERS.
SEVERAL changes have been made by
the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., in its staff at the C,onsett, Stanley and Chester-le-Street depots. Mr. J. Forster, commercial superintendent of the Stanley depot, has temporarily been transferred to Bensham. Mr. C. Redley, manager at Consett, will succeed Mr. Forster at Stanley, whilst Mr. N. Kell, for a number of years an assistant at Chester-le-Street, is taking over the management of activities in the Consett area. B.A.A. FURTHER CONSIDERS STANDARD-TICKET SCHEME.
ON Wednesday last, a meeting took
place in London between , a subcommittee of the Booking Agents Association and representatives of Public Serviee Vehicle Operators, Ltd., the latter concern being that formed to introduce the standardized-ticket scheme for booking agents. Full details of this appeared in our issue dated December 23.
We understand that the Booking Agents Association generally favours an arrangement on these lines and the private meeting held on Wednesday last was intended further to explore the possibilities of the one-ticket book and to ascertain whether the Association and the company could amicably work together. An early agreement is expected.
HARROGATE TO OPPOSE YORK?
IT is likely that Harrogate Corpora
tion will oppose York Corporation's Bill to obtain authority for the proposer) merger with the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd. The Bill provides for the abandonment of York Corporation's light railways and trolley-bus routes. A special meeting of Harrogate Town Council has been called for January 26, " to determine upon the expediency of opposing" the measure.
LINCOLN'S DEARER FARES.
DRASTIC retrenchments in working
expenses and increases all round in bus fares have been approved by Lincoln City Council. A revised time-table is to be operated, which, it is estimated, will reduce expenditure by £1,000 per annum; shopping return and transfer tickets will be discontinued, and the price of workmen's tickets will be increased.
PROTEST AGAINST INCREASED FARE S.
A STRONG protest against the action
of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners in permitting increased fares was made, a few days ago, at a meeting of StohesIey Rural District Council.
Attention was particularly drawn to increased charges for 12-journey tickets on the Stokesley-Middlesbrough route, the withdrawal of workmen's tickets between Middlesbrough and Marton, and increased contract fares for apprentices. Representations on the matter are to be made to the Commissioners.
"EAST KENT" RAISES FARES.
ON Wednesday last, increased fares came into force on certain of the routes of the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd. Permission to raise fares was recently granted by the South-Eastern Traffic Commissioners, at their sitting at Margate.
OBJECTION TO L.G.O.C. SCHEME.
LEWISEEAM Borough Council has been recommended to make representations to the Minister of Transport and the Commissioner of Police, objecting to the proposal of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., to run buses on Bellingham housing estate. The Commissioner has already sanctioned the service, but the council considers that the roads to be traversed are too narrow for buses,
ARE PASSENGERS INSURED IN AN OVERLOADED BUS?
IN important case concerning the insurance of bus passengers came before the Potteries Stipendiary Magistrate, at Tharslem, last week, when he reserved his decision. The case was said to be the first of its kind in the country.
Mr. F. Peelle (North Stafford Motors, Ltd.), Tunstall, was summoned for using a public-service vehicle without having in force a third-party insurance policy, whilst the driver was summoned for aiding and abetting.
Police evidence showed that the 40seater vehicle carried 53 passengers. It was held that the insurance policy contained a provision that, in the case of the maximum, legal capacity of the vehicle being exceeded, the assured should bear a rateable share of compensation in the event of injury. Mr. Peake was told by the police that the vehicle was thus not fully covered by insurance.
For the defence it was submitted that the policy completely complied with the terms of the Road Traffic Act, and, in its general terms, offered a full indemnity for all third-party passengers.
PAIGNTON AND TROLLEY-BUSES.
OWNERS and occupiers of property
at Roundham and the Paignton (East Ward) Ratepayers Association have asked Paignton Urban District Council to take steps for the amendment of the Torquay and Paignton Traction Bill to exclude from it the operation of trolley-buses in the Roundham district, Victoria Street, Lower Esplanade and Sands Road.
SOUTH WALES BUS MERGER.
WE understand that negotiations are in a fairly advanced state for the amalgamation of Ralph's Garages, Ltd., Abertillery, and the Griffin Motor Co., Ltd., Brynmawr, about 45 vehicles being involved in the deal. For some time there has been a working arrangement between the two concerns.
OPERATORS SEEK TO AVOID TOIL GATE: £10,000 A. YEAR.
SEVERAL bus companies applied to the South Wales Traffic Commissioners, last week, for permission to divert a considerable proportion of their Cardiff-Barry buses to another route, so as to avoid the toll gate on the CardiffPenarth Road.
On behalf of Thos. White and Co., and other concerns, it was stated that this group of operators paid over £10,000 a year in tolls, whilst other interests paid large sums. The companies then asked the Commissioners to adjourn the applications so that they might confer with Mountjoy, Ltd., the concern owning the gate, with a view to arriving at some agreement. The Commissioners agreed to this course.
THE LIGHTER SIDE OF ASSOCIATION WORK.
THE first annual dinner and dance of the Croydon and District Motor Coach Owners' Association is to beheld at the Greyhound Hotel, Croydon, at 7.45 p.m., on January 31.
The association was formed a year ago and now has 24 members, operating
a total of 140 coaches. We are informed that all the coach operators in the area covered by the association are
members. It occupies itself primarily with operating matters, and is affiliated to the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, Ltd., which organization will be represented at the dinner by Major J. B. Elliott, chairman, and Mr. F. A. Flu, vice-chairman.
COLCHESTER AND PROTECTION.
IN connection with an application by Mr. J. P. Mason to the Eastern Traffic Commissioners for permission to continue an existing Langham-Co cheater service, with modifications to allow operation on Sundays, Colchester Corporation is seeking protection for its own services.
The authority has no objection to. the running of additional services, but asks that Mr. Mason's vehicles shall be prohibited from picking up and setting down the same passenger within the borough, on that part of the route served by municipal buses.
PORTSMOUTH OFFICE RENTS.
THE following offers have been
accepted by the Portsmouth municipal authority for renting, during 1933, booking offices at South Parade :—No. 1, Underwood Express Services, Ltd., £100; No. 2, Don Motor Coach Co., Ltd., £90; No. 3, -Messrs. A. Burnett and Sons, £66; No. 4, Messrs. F. T. Brook, £72; No. 5, Sonthdown Motor Services, Ltd., £55; No. 6, Messrs. J. G. Wyatt, £25; and No. 7, Messrs. E. Byng and Sons, £20,
REDUCING SERVICES: AGREEMENT IN YORKSHIRE?
THE chairman of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, Mr. J. Farndale, considers that the traffic on the routes from Leeds, Sheffield, Chesterfield and various places in the West Riding to Blackpool, is too heavy during the winter. He has suggested that the operators concerned should endeavour to enter into some working agreement whereby certain of the traffic might be eliminated.
NORTHERN COMMISSIONERS' METHODS CRITICIZED.
SEVERE criticism of the Northern Traffic Commissioners' procedure was made last week, by Mr. F. Woodhead, chairman of Northallerton Urban District Council. Mr. Woodhead complained of the delay in hearing cases and referred to the frivolous objections sometimes made to the granting of licences.
He said he had been informed by a large bus concern operating in West Lancashire that it expended 130,000 a year in making representations to Traffic Commissioners.
THREE OPERATORS UNITE.
THE West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., Messrs. Samuel Ledgard and G. F. Tate, the three operators on the Leeds-Otley-Ilkley route, have put into operation a co-ordinated time-table, giving a 10-minute service from Leeds to Otley, with through buses to Ilkley every 30 minutes. Return tickets are now interchangeable.
FOUR BUSES IN G.W.R. FLEET.
THE past year has seen the culmina tion of the policy of association of the Great Western Railway Co. with bus companies. There now remain only four buses directly operated by the -railway company, the remainder having been handed over to associated concerns. In the case of certain road services east of Slough, there was no associated undertaking in the area, and the services have been taken over by the London General Country Services, Ltd.
"ROVING COMMISSION" REFUSED.
A LICENCE for an unusual type of service was refused, last week, by the
Eastern Traffic Commissioners. Mr. W. A. Blenkinsop, of Vange, sought a licence to operate a stage or expresscarriage service within a radius of 12 miles from Pitsea Station, using a seven-seater lanoaulet. He said he had been plying for hire since 1919.
The licence was refused on the ground that Mr. Blenkinsop's eyesight was not sufficiently good, and the chairman of the Commissioners, Sir Haviland Riley, stated that they could not grant a licence with a "roving commission."
MORE PROTECTION CONDITIONS, THE South Wales Traffic Commis sioners found a way, recently, of granting a number of applications of small operators for new services, despite the objections of the Great Western Railway Co. and bus companies. Licences were, in nearly every instance, granted, with the protection for existing services. CHESTERFIELD 'RECOMMENDED TO BUY PRIVATE SERVICES.
CIIESTERFIELD Corporation is
recommended to purchase the goodwill of bus services operated by Mr. IS. Booker, Messrs. Mather Bros., and Messrs. P. Porter and Son, together with two buses from Messrs. Mather Bros. and five vehicles from Messrs. Porter and Son, at a total cost of £11,040.
It is also recommended that negotiations be continued with the Midland
General Omnibus Co, Ltd., with a view to entering into an agreement for the joint running of services on the southern side of the borough.
MOVE AGAINST DEARER FARES.
Trry, Medway Towns Chamber of Commerce is supporting Gillingham Town Council in its opposition to in
creased bus fares. The council has 'asked the Chamber to submit its objection to the Traffic Commissioners and Joint Omnibus Advisory Committee.
HEBBLE BUSES INSTEAD OF TRAMS.
HALllax Town Council has
approved the recommendations of the tramways committee that, subject to the approval of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, Hobble Motor Services, Ltd., may operate, by arrangement with the corporation, a Shelf-Northowram bus service to replace the municipal trams. It was also agreed that a Halifax-Hove Edge bus service should be run instead of the tramways.