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Operating Aspects of

PASSENGER TRANSPORT

THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS

REDCAR CLAIMS COMPENSATION FROM LONDON TRANSPORT.

pROTRACTED arguments were heard by the London Passenger Transport Arbitration Tribunal, this week, under the chairmanship of Mr. 3. Scholefield, KC., when Redcar Services, Ltd., sought compensation from the Board for loss of business.

The company claimed £18,743 in respect of goodwill and compensation for the severance of its London-Tunbridge Wells service, most of which is in the Board's Special Area; this deal included the transfer of three vehicles. Another claim of £673 was made in respect of the severance of the Sevenoaks-Tunbridge Wells service, and to those amounts had to be added the price of the three vehicles transferred.

The Board contended that it was not liable for compensation, because neither service had been discontinued. Alternatively, the Board submitted that the only compensation allowable was the extent of the loss sustained through the company not now being able to take up and set down passengers within the Special Area.

As a result of the working of the London Passenger Transport Act, the original stage service had to be abandoned and replaced by an express service. Redcar Services, Ltd., had discontinued short-stage fares on that part of the latter service within the Special Area, and the Board was now working vehicles on that portion of the route.

The Board claimed that the figures put forward were on a wrong basis. Mr. Scholefield was of the opinion that, from the present evidence, there was a case for compensation, because some loss must have been sustained.

The bearing was continued on MCA. day and then adjourned until February 26. Major T. B. Elliott, managing director of the Redcar concern, concurred that the only loss sustained was that caused by the prohibition of pick n 10 hag up and setting down passengers in the Special Area. Of 410,000 taken on the London-Tunbridge Wells route in 1930, £4,000 was received on the London-Sevenoaks section. On the full route, four more journeys each way were now being run daily.

Major Elliott said that the service was not remunerative and that there had been negotiations for the transfer to the Board of the Redcar LondonTunbridge Wells route. He did not think that his company had represented that it would claim compensation for a service that was to be continued.

TEN MORE BUSES FOR SALFORD?

ON Wednesday last, Salford City

Council was asked to authorize an application to the Ministry of Transport for sanction to borrow £18,205 for the purchase of 10 oil-engined doubledeck buses. Some of these will be required to operate on services to Trafford Park, under an agreement with Manchester Corporation.

DRIVERS' HOURS: CASE AGAINST BIRMINGHAM LOST.

(IN February I, Lord Ilkeston, the 'Birmingham stipendiary, dismissed a summons against Birmingham Corporation for alleged breaches of Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act.

It was submitted that the local authority had not provided for 10 hours' consecutive rest in any period of 24 hours in the case of certain drivers. The action was stated to have been brought by a discharged bus driver. The summons was dismissed, but the decision on costs was reserved. Thirteen other summonses against the corporation were adjourned sine die.

The East Midland Traffic Commissioners have published a comprehensive supplement listing agreed excursions and tour fares for 1934.

BIG CO-ORDINATION SCHEME APPROVED IN THE WEST.

DETAILS of the important co-ordination scheme between Black and White Motorways, Ltd., Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., Red and White Services, Ltd., and Greyhound Motors, Ltd., were submitted, last week, to the Western Traffic Commissioners, who generally approved the scheme, subject to slight modifications to fares.

It was explained that the proposals covered groups of services from east to west, these also affecting other routes from north to south. The latter services operate on the Birmingham and Coventry routes to Cheltenham and places farther south and west.

It was mentioned that a large measure of co-ordination already existed in connection with routes from London to the west, and, whilst at one time there were 13 different services on the route via Oxford, there were now only three, operated by the Black and White and. Red and White concerns and the Red Bus Co., the Red and White undertaking also controlling the last-named. It was now sought to incorporate in the Red and White business the services of the Red Bus Co.

Under the co-ordination scheme, Red and White Services, Ltd., would use the Black and White coach station at Cheltenham, instead of its own at Gloucester, and inter-available tickets would be issued. A substantial reduction in departure times would be made, but these would be better distributed over the day and public facilities would not be curtailed.

For the G.W.R. it was explained that the company gave the proposals negative approval, but did not wish to imply that It admitted the general principle of the scheme. The applications in question were understood to be part of a much more comprehensive scheme of co-ordination.

YORKSHIRE BODIES TO INTERVIEW COMMISSIONERS.

ADEPUTATION from the four asso

ciations of independent coach operators in Yorkshire is to interview the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners on February 12. .iete te.,ference to pmbooked-party lice.nsieg.

When a depubtion from these bodies interviewed Mr. A. T. V. Robinson, at the Ministry of Transport, and put forward suggested modifications to the Schedule 2A system of pre-bookedparty licensing which is in operation in Yorkshire (reported in last week's issue), the deputation was advised also to put the proposals before the Yorkshire Commissioners.

. The Yorkshire Motor Coach and Transport Owners Association, at a meeting in Leeds last Monday, which was attended by 112 operators, decided to advocate that fares for pre-beoked licensed excursions shall be 10 per Cent, lower than the fares for ordinary excursions.

Reporting on the deputation to the Ministry, Mr. Butterwick, chairman, said be thought definitely that the Minister's draft scheme for one-day licences for pre-booked parties would be abandoned, but be concluded that the Minister intended to evolve some national scheme for " contract" work.

MERGER AND WORKING AGREEMENTS PROPOSED AT GRIMSBY.

THE tramways committee of Grimsby

Corporation recommends the purchase from Mrs. A. Morley of four buses, with a view to the corporation operating services on parts of the routes now covered by her, between Grimsby and Waltham, and Holton-le-Clay, Barnoldbyde-Beek and the aerodrome.

The corporation is also recommended to reach an agreement with the Lincolnshire Road Car Co., Ltd., providing that the municipality shall not operate bus services upon certain portions of theroutes worked by Mrs. Morley, in consideration of the company paying the corporation £2,250.

Another agreement with Enterprise and Silver Dawn Motors, Ltd., is favoured, this providing that the corporation shall not operate buses on a certain route, in consideration of the company paying £1,100 and entering into a covenant not to pick up and set down passengers within the borough.

YORKSHIRE ASSOCIATION'S LINK WITH M.H.C.S.A.

(IN Monday. last the Yorkshire Motor

Coach and Transport Owners Association decided to affiliate with the Motor Hirers and Coach Services ASSOciation, and to support a standing joint committee of the Y.M.C.T.O.A., Yorkshire Stage Carriage Operators Association, Sheffield Motor Coach Owners Association, and the NorthEastern Division ot the Commercial Motor Users Association.

It was suggested that the standing joint committee, which was recently formed to prepare a memorandum on pm booked party licensing, should continue to function as a clearing house of ideas, The committee would take action when all the repre sentatives were unanimous, Messrs. Butterwick, Keeling; Steele arid Moore were appointed to represent the Y.M.C,T,O,A, on the standing joint comntittee, with Messrs. Heaps and Stone as reserve delegates.

EASTBOURNE FAVOURS PETROL.

INTERESTING tests have been carried 'out at Eastbourne with two Leyland buses equipped with torque converters, one being a Tiger oil-engined 32-seater and the other a Titan petrol-enginecl 52-seater. The former covered 153.4 miles and three separate fuel-consumption tests were made, the returns being 6.94 m.p.g., 7.94 m.p.g. and 8.04 m.p.g. It was concluded that 8 m.p.g. was a fair average. The Titan travelled 554.65 miles and five separate fuel returns varying from 5.13 m.p.g. to 6 m.p.g. were obtained. It was considered that the petrol con sumption of the torque-converter vehicle could be regarded as a little lower than that of the existing doubledeckers.

On an average mileage of 30,000 a year, it was estimated that the oiler would save 2221 17s. ed. per annum in fuel cost, as compared with the petrol bus, the price of oil being 5d. a gallon and of petrol is. Old, per gallon. The oiler would, however, involve extra annual expense on account of taxation of £51 4s., maintenance £25, depreciation 240, giving a total of £116 4s., or 2105 13s. 6d. in favour of oilzrs.

The buff committee of the corporation has, after considering the possibilities of increased taxation on oil fuel and other factors, decided to buy six petrol-engined double-deckers with torque converters, and a quotation is being given by Leyland Motors, Ltd.

LANCS AND CHESHIRE JOINT BOARD PROGRESS.

THE proposed joint board combining

the passenger-transport services of the municipalities of South-East Lancashire and East Cheshire was last week given the approval of a special committee of Manchester Corporation.

This committee has collected the reports of the chief officials of the various undertakings concerned and has prepared a statement for submission to the general and Parliamentary committee and to the city council. Manchester Corporation, it suggests, should take part in organizing the scheme. INTER-HIRING PRINCIPLE RAISED IN COURT ACTION.

ATA T Halifax Borough Police Court, on 2, Mr, Joseph Moore, secretary of Lancashire and Yorkshire Motors, Ltd., Barnsley, was fined £6, with 30s. costs, for unlawfully using three motor vehicles as express carriages, and Mr. Joseph Keeling; secretary of Yorkshire Motor Coach and Transport Owners' Association, Ltd.. Leeds, was fined £15, with 30s. costs, for aiding and abetting. Mr. Keeling, who pleaded "Not guilty," is considering appealing. Mr. Moore pleaded " Guilty " to a technical offence.

For the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, who prosecuted, it was said that Lancashire and Yorkshire Motors, Ltd., ran from Halifax to Skegness three vehicles bearing the words "On hire to Brearley." This notice referred to Mr. Clement Brearley, of Halifax, who had a licence and used it properly.

Mrs Keeling, it was maintained, seemed to have taken upon himself the right to pool licences granted to individuals. The Lancashire and Yorkshire concern wanted to run a service to Skegness, but had no licence. Therefore, an official telephoned to Mr. Keeling who, in effect, replied: "You use Brearley's licence."

Mr. Brearley, who stated that he, like the defendants, was a member of the Y.M.C.T.O.A., said that on the occasion in question, Lancashire and Yorkshire Motors, Ltd., had no authority from him to run under his licence. Replying to Mr, Keeling, the witness said he did not run his own vehicles to Skegness, but hired them.

In his defence, Mr. Keeling said that his association had an inter-hiring arrangement, and it was often left to his office to say that, where a service needed to be augmented, it might be run by a particular member. This inter-hiring was done with the consent of the Commissioners. Nothing more had been done on this occasion than in previous years, except that whereas the licence stated that the service should start from Mr. Brearley's stand, it commenced from another.

SUNDAY EXCURSIONS IN SCOTLAND: OPERATORS WIN.

GRE,AT interest has been taken in Scotland over the question of Sun

day tours in the Highlands. The Northern Scotland Traffic Commissioners sat for three days last week at Inverness to hear objections on behalf of the County Councils of Inverness. Nairn, Ross and Cromarty, Sutherland and Caithness against the granting of licences for Sunday excursions.

No fewer than 65 applications were before the Commissioners from operators in all parts of Great Britain. In announcing the decision. to grant

• licences Mr. Henry Riches, chairman, said it was the Commissioners' duty to consider the matter from the point of view of the public interest, and there was undoubtedly a demand for Sunday excursions.

It is understood that the protesting bodies intend to take further action. TEST APPEAL ON EXCURSION SERVICES?

THERE is a possibility of a test

appeal being brought by the Great Western Railway Co. to obtain a ruling on the extent of the liberty to be allowed to excursion and tour operators. Last Monday three operators applied to the South Wales Commissioners for excursion and tour licences, and were strenuously opposed by the G.W.R., which contended that all the routes proposed to he covered were already served by road and rail facilities. There should, the company contended, be some limitation on the issue of excursion and tour licences.

The Commissioners allowed one of the applications, deleting two destinations, and held over the others pending the test appeal of the railway company.

HALIFAX COMMITTEE TO PURCHASE BUS BUSINESS?

TT is reported that Halifax Joint Omni"bus Committee (Halifax Corporation and London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co.) proposes to purchase the business of Mr. J. W. Halstead, of West Vale, including two buses, at a cost of £2,000. The town council was asked to approve the scheme, on Wednesday, and the purchase will be subject to the transfer of the licences by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners.

BID TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS.

THE Motor Hirers and Coach Ser

vices Association is making arrangements for the bulk distribution, of the code on the conduct of public-servicevehicle drivers on the road, which was referred to in last week's issue. The pamphlet, entitled " Hints for Safety on the Highway," can be supplied at the net cost of 1s. 6c1. per 100, whilst single copies may be had free of charge on application to the secretary, 17. Euston Road, London, N.W.1.

AMERICAN PASSENGER-TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

TN a paper read before members of the

Omnibus Society on February 1, Mr. Eric N. Osborne detailed sonic of his experiences in studying traffic conditions in the 'U.S.A., Cuba and Panama, during 1933. IIis first impression of New York was one of the antiquated buses and trams, some of the former having chain drive. Indicators also received a good deal of criticism, whilst, he said, publicity was non-existent. A far better state of public information and of vehicular excellence exists in the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey.

In Cuba bus operation takes on the haphazard character of the sOuth, but in Panama it is revealed in its full flower. If a passenger wishes to go to any particular point, the bus is driven there.

It is surprising to find in California only four towns in a stretch of nearly 400 miles capable of supporting even a small local bus service. Mr. Osborne concluded with general remarks on American travel psychology, problems presented by the 5-cent fare, and methods of its collection, and the difficulty of arousing interest in the oiler owing to the low price of petrol.

GAS FUEL FOR BUSES.

AT a recent meeting of the gas com

mitteemittee of Stoke-on-Trent Corporation, the engineer submitted particulars regarding gas fuel for buses, it was arranged that a sub-committee should meet the bus owners and others interested in the experiments at the Etruria gasworks.

I.F.S. BUS TRAFFIC HIGHER

RUS traffic in the Irish Free State in'creased last year, as compared with the previous year. In 1933, 30,194,000 miles were covered, 83,342,000 passengers being carried, whereas in 1932, 30,092,000 miles were travelled and 72,587,000 passengers were carried.

The gross receipts increased' by some £54,000 during this period, the total for 1933 being £1,084,476. The ser vices across the border brought in an increased revenue of £10,000, the figure for 1933 being £94,46L MANCHESTER ESTIMATES UP.

A N increase of over £20,090 in the 'gross profits of the bus services is shown in the estimates of the Manchester Corporation's transport department. Whilst only £12,000 was expected for the current financial year, a balance of £32,500 is anticipated for the following period.

LANCS AGAINST TROLLEY. BUSES.

THE highways committee of Lanes County Council is to lodge a petition against the application of St. Helens Corporation for a Provisional Order authorizing new trolleybus routes in Preset and Whiston.• The committee states that the corporation is running motorbus services over the route, and it is suggested that these are adequate. ANOTH E R PROVISIONAL MERGER AGREEMENT AT YORK.

TT is reported that the West Yorkshire 'Road Car Co., Ltd., and a sub-committee of the York local authority have reached a provisional agreement for the amalgamation of the municipal undertaking with that part of the company's business in the York area. It is proposed to restrict the radius of operation to six miles, and that the services should be controlled by a jcint committee of six. Equality in the contribution of assets is proposed and the trams may be replaced by buses It may be recalled that an earlier scheme for the merging of the two systems was rejected by Parliament.

LONG-DISTANCE TOURS: NO FURTHER RESTRICTIONS 'YET.

TT might be necessary later, in the 'light of experience, to place further restrictions on long-distance tours, but the time was not yet ripe for such action, said Mr. W. Chamberlain, chair man of the North-Western Traffic Commissioners, on February 1.

Five years ago first-class hotels would not cater for coach parties, but conditions had now changed: He granted all the licences applied for and permitted extra picking-up points..

OVER 1,500 MILES IN so HOURS BY COACH.

A REMARKABLE performance was "put up by the Citroen coach which competed in the Monte Carlo Rally and was illustrated in last week's issue of The Commercial Motor. The vehicle, which bad an all-steel body, travelled from Warsaw to Monte Carlo, a distance of over 1,500 miles.

Driven by Mr. Lecot, it covered the route from Warsaw to Strasbourg, via Cracow, Prague and Frankfurt, at the scheduled speed of 25 m.p.h., the remainder of the journey to Monte Carlo being completed at an average speed of 311 m.p.h. The time for the journey was 59 hours, including stops.