LONDON'S MILLIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1934, Page 8

LONDON'S MILLIONS.

TRANSPORT PROBLEM. STAGGERING FIGURES. ONE GREAT AUTHORITY. (By NELLJC M. SCAN LAX.) I have just been talking to Mr. Frank Pick, general manager of London's i Transport Board, the man who is mainly responsible for the co-ordination of all the transportation facilities of this great city under one head. It comprises trains, tubes, buses, trams, coaches and trollev buses. At one time there was a cut-throat policy between some of them; an overlapping of services, and pirates skimming the cream at rush hour, but not providing service at the loss remunerative hours of the day. With tho problem of traffic congestion constantly increasing, and the need for some controlling authority to govern the whole system, it still took years to bring about the change. Perfect Organisation. He has given mc some staggering figures relating to this vast undertaking. Tho magnitude of this task of bringing London's millions of workers to shop and office punctually every day, of facilitating shoppers doing their shopping, and business people transacting business, of enabling people to see London, and keep moving, timed to the second, such numbers of vehicles is positively intimidating. Yet it is done, smoothly, owing to perfect organisation, and all the time it is expanding; extending lines here, perfecting, improving, anticipating. The meticulous detail of its records reveals every increase and decrease, the drifts and tendencies of population, and the amazing way in which these needs are met. The London Transport Board's statutory area of control covers 2200 square miles, which is practically a radius of 30 miles around Charing Cross, which is taken as its central point. And the population is estimated at 0,500,000 people. They have 375 miles of railways under their control, some of which they own, others they lease, and 011 a portion of the suburban branches of the main lines they control the running of the trains. They also have 56 miles of underground trains, and their trams cover 329 miles. The trams act as feeders, and are not permitted in the centre of the town. The New Buses. The best way to see London is from the top of a bus, and many of us still mourn the passing of the open-top buses. These old buses were a delight in summer, but gradually they are being eliminated. When I asked Mr. Pick why, he told me that a record of passengers revealed that the coveredtop buses brought in a higher return, and showed that, on the whole, they were more popular. You limy still see some of those old buses, but not many. In wet weather the little apron for your knees was scant protection, and in London's long winter after a long day's work it was a cold ride home 011 top of an open bus. The new buses have enclosed the driver's seat, and the staircase mounting to the top; they are larger, too, and many have six wheels. The seats are wider and more comfortably sprung. The mileage covered by the buses is 2095, and the total annual mileage run last year was 230,000.000. The average run of each bus per day is 130 miles. Their average speed in the central area is 10 miles, but when you realise the constant stopping and starting, and the hold-up amidst traffic it will be realised that tho average must seem low. In tho country they average 13 miles. The number of passengers carried annually is about 1,900,000.000. The weight of bus tickets issued is 871 tons —tons of tickets. The buses also consume 40,000,000 gallons of petrol; Every day 1400 umbrellas, walkingsticks and parcels are left behind in buses. If you call at the lost property office, which has recently been opened at the Baker Street station, you will see this vast accumulation. London's honesty surprises foreigners. If you can describe what -you have lost, and give some idea of the time and the bus, it will be returned to you. Motor Coaches. Motor coaches, which transport the residents who live at a greater distance, no\V number 311, and their annual run totals 21.000,000 miles, with an average of 209 miles a day, and an average speed of 19 miles an hour. But when you meet them 011 a country road they never seem to 110 doing less than 30. Tho coaches carry about 16,000,000 passengers a year, and use 3,000,000 gallons of petrol. The average speed of the railways, taking in all services, is 20 miles an hour, but the average speed 011 fast tracks is 35 miles. The trolley bus has been through the experimental stage, and there is now a suggestion of extending it. It lias the

advantage of the tram drawing it* power from overhead, but has the mobility so essential, the lack of Which s the great handicap of the .tram cm lixed rails" It cannot draw into the kerb to pick up or drop passengers, It cannot manoeuvre its way througn traffic! one faulty tram will hold up a Jon" line of vehicles on the rails behind it, and cause appalling congestion. Ihe annual mileage run by trolley buses m now 2 r>oo.ooo, and the average speed 10 miles an hour. The total number ot trolley buses now in use is 01. More people ride in buses than in aii> other public vehicle. Taking the total population of the London transport area, the average ride per head is 200 miles in a bus 108 on a tram. 43 on a railway, which, of course includes the underground tubes, three miles on a trolley bus, and two miles on a coach. The board's annual bill for coal must be considerable, as they use 320,491 tons. The total number of railway stations owned or served by their trains is 442 and there are now 122 escalators at stations and 133 lifts. The number of their employees Iβ 72,000, and salaries and wages total £14,000,000 annually. Their gross takings are half a million pounds a wefek, and they pay in direct taxation _ £2,500,000 a year. Do you wonder -tJwMJ? total capital involved is over £109,000,000. New Poster Art. Every week you will see new posters outside all the underground stations. They may be strange and weird or extremely lovely, an expression of the art of yesterday, or the startling moderns of to-morrow. If your poster interests the board, they will buy it. If you have an idea, they will listen to you, but you must be brief. it you have an invention they will try it. The Transport Board's head orlice is at the St. James , station rat Westminster. It is a tall, modern building, with the two famous Epstein statues, "Night and '•Morning" carved in stone over their door. They created the usual controversy that greets most of Epsten's sculpture They were attacked "and abused, and, like his "Einia" in Hyde Park, they might have been tarred and leathered, if they were not out of reach. You may or you may not like them, but they express the modern progrcssiveness of the head of this organisation. This is no die-hard concern. The active manager of this enormous concern would seem to have a full-time job, but they have just asked Mr. Frank Pick to be chairman of the newly-formed committee which is to co-ordinate art and industry in British affairs. It is an honorary job, and he has accepted it. He is interested in art as well as industry, and will bring a keen mind to the co-ordination of these two elements, which have for far too long been divorced, and we will look forward to the fruits of this union. .