Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
GAS-BAG BUS IN LEICESTER SOON
EICESTER Transport Depart4nent LAis to convert a double-deck bus to run on coal-gas; the work of conversion started last week. The storage of the gas presented some difficulty, and the most satisfactory and economical method appeared to be to remove the seats from the top deck of the bus, and to utilize the space for the purpose of accommodating a rubberizedfabric container.
Mr. C. Stafford, general manager and engineer, told .members of the transport committee that investigations had been made into two methods, the utilization of ordinary coal-gas as obtained from the local gas department, and the use of producer gas, by fitting a generator or by the use of a trailer with suitable equipment.
It would appear that the use of ordinary coal-gas would be the more convenient, and would assist the local coal and gas-making industry.
TRENT COMPANY'S GESTURE TO EMPLOYEES.
ASCHEME for supplementing the war allowance of employees of the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., has been put forward by Mr. G. C. Campbell-Taylor, general manager. A grant by the company, subject to certain conditions, will either. be paid to the men's wives or placed in the bank to their credit against such time as they return. The scheme is already in operation and will continue -until next March, when the situation will be reviewed.
FUEL-RATIONING EFFECT ON ESSENTIAL CAB SERVICES.
A CURIOUS transport position has 2-1 arisen in Glasgow. A taxicab firm —as distinct from a private-hire firm— has been advised that it will be expected, in emergencies arising from enemy air attack, to supply adequate services for rushing officials to dif
ferent vital services. But the firm, despite continuous protests, has been unable to secure, for normal uses, an increase in the amount of petrol it has been allowed under the rationing scheme. Hospitals in Glasgow, too, are alarmed at the prospect of a curtailment of the firm's services as a result.
A member of the firm, commenting on the situation, stated that, as a last resort, they would tackle the Secretary of State for Scotland on the question.
The situation was serious, he said, and they had had to inform the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association that unless something was done for the firm quickly they would have to dispense with the services of over 30 employees, which represented one third of the firm's taxi staff, Their peace time petrol 'consumption amounted to 22,000 gallons per month. Now they were being allowed 5,669 gallons for the same period In London taxis average 18 m.p.g., whilst in Glasgow they do only 13 m.p.g., owing to the hilly nature of the city. A London taxi, having carried a " fare," can pick up another passenger on the way back to its stance, but that is not permitted in Glasgow.
PUBLIC'S PART IN BUS-SERVICE REARRANGEMENT.
THE November time-table of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., shows that the services of the company and its subsidiaries have now settled down after the transitional war period. An official of the company stated that the co-operation received from the public was greatly appreciated. The public had, to some extent, regulated travelling habits to fit the new circumstances. The great difficulty had been the provision of sufficient duplicate buses, within the limits of the fuel allowance, to deal with peak periods, but intensive rearrangement of work and the co-operation of the public had much improved the position. TROLLEYBUSES ON BUSY TRAM ROUTES.
TRAMS are to be withdrawn from more London routes, those which serve NeVhitechapel, Mile End and Bow roads, and trolleybuses will operate 'he services from to-morrow (November 5). The tram routes affected (Nos. 61 and 63) are amongst the busiest in London, carrying between them, in normal times, 100,000 passengers per day. In
all, 74 trams will be withdrawn and will be replaced by 83 trolleybuses.
This is the 100 stage of London Transport's programme of converting the northern tram system to trolleybus working..
EXPRESS DOUBLE-DECKERS IN LONDON.
Oor Wednesday last, London Transport instituted special express services by double-deckers between (I) Brentwood, Rornford and Aldgate, and
(2) Grays and Aldgate. Fares and facilities are the same as applied to the Green Line coach routes, which were withdrawn on August 31.
NO CONDUCTRESSES YET AT BIRMINGHAM.
BECAUSE the number of men called up was far less than was expected, Birmingham Transport Committee has decided to postpone the engagement of women conductors and to employ men
over the age of 35 years. Men on national service will not be engaged.
JOINT SCHEME FOR GRIMSBY AND CLEETHORPES?
THAT the time was now ripe for 1 negotiations with a view to establishing a joint transport board for Grimsby and Cleethorpes was the contention . of Councillor F. Broddle, speaking at a meeting of the Cleethorpes Progressive Association. Cleethorpes transport. undertaking, he said, had lost money during the past two years, and he believed the deficit up to the end of last year was £6,000.