Lasting Harm from One-day Strike
Page 34
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A LIGHTNING one-day strike of
Belfast Transport Department's platform staff held on Saturday,. November 23, 1957, is still having unfortunate effects. The loss of confidence and goodwill of passengers is still reflected in operations on Saturdays, says Mr. J. Mackie, general manager, in his annual report.
Although substantial economies have been made, they will not be sufficient to avoid raising fares or reducing stages and service frequencies if future wage awards follow the pattern of those granted in previous years.
The transport department is under a statutory obligation to make income meet expenditure. Any increase in fares or reduction in the quality of service will undoubtedly stiffen passenger resistance, says Mr. Mackie.
Increased use of private transport, television, higher fares, traffic congestion, new housing estates on the outer fringe of the transport boundary, industrial disputes and last October's influenza epidemic caused a drop in the number of passengers carried.
Mr. Mackie points out that the decline must, however, be viewed in its proper perspective. Last year the department carried some 58m. more passengers than in 1939, despite a marked increase in private transport. In 1939 there was no television, and the minimum fare was ld.
Belfast trolleybuses last year worked at a surplus of £38,612. Revenue totalled £1,271,614 and working expenses £1,099,910 (34.79d. per vehicle-mile). The trolleybuses covered 7.9m. miles and carried 87.7m. passengers.
The motorbuses showed a deficit of £25,448. Revenue totalled £1,527,562 and working expenses £1,370,227 (35.05d. per bus-mile). Debt and other charges accounted for £182,783. The motorbuses covered 9.3m. miles and carried 106m. passengers.
Although the department made a profit of £13,164 on its transport operations, its other commitments produced an overall loss of £1,927.