TRAMWAY FARES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 9

TRAMWAY FARES

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir,—ln view of the Tramway Board’s recent legislation in raising the price of concession cards and entirely abolishing the weekly passes, may I, in a few words, lift my voice in protest. What are workers to do whose work requires that they use two trams? This means that in a day there will be to begin with, four nicks off the ticket, which is to last a fortnight. This, coupled with the fact that there are compulsory organisations which one must attend in the evenings, is going to make travelling very expensive, if not exorbitant and out of all reason; that is, of course, without taking into consideration the frequency of the service on some of the lines. Should there not be some concession made for workers? For, when all is said and done, it is they who mostly patronise the trams. Granted and appreciated is the fact that the tramway vyorkers receive higher wages: but why rob one section of the working community to pay the other? It is a very one-eyed and unbalanced arrangement, quite unworthy of Labour’s ideals, in that, it does not. to quote the words of a member of the Tramwav Board, “provide a service for the public by raising the fares.” I reiterate that there should be. concessions made for workers, who as it

is, now pay more than those who are in the fortunate position of being able to stay at home and go out when they please. In conclusion, without considering extras at all, I cannot imagine what those people, living in the outlying suburbs, think of having to pay, seven, eight, and nine shillings for a concession card. However, it is for them to decide, and take the matter up if they so wish. —Yours, etc.. DISGRUNTLED. July 25. 1938. [The chairman of the Tramway Board (Mr E. Parlane), to whom this letter was referred, said that he had no comment to make on anonymous correspondence.]