TRAMS WITHOUT CONDUCTORS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 140, 10 December 1909, Page 8

TRAMS WITHOUT CONDUCTORS.

PROPOSAL OBJECTED TO. With an eye to economy, the Miramar Council made a proposition whereby it might curtail its tramway expenditure. The matter was placed before tho tramways engineer and manager (Mr. S. Richardson), who referred it to the Government Engineer-in-Chief (Mr. R. "W. Holmes). A letter received from the latter was read at last night's meating of the Borough Council. It ran as folows :—: — "In reply to your communication asking whether there would be any objection to running small cars on the Miramar route without conductors, 1 have to inform you that there are very grave | objections to tht' proposal, and it would not be at all Jikely to receive tlie sanction of the Government. The principal objections wQuld be : (1) Such cars would not be permitted to run outside tho borough of Miramar. All passengers would therefore require to change cars, which proceeding would be strong ly resented by the travelling public, particularly in bad weather. (2) There would be no one to attend to the trolleyrope while the car was travelling round sharp curves or along parts of the route where the trolley is liable to derailment. (3) The motorman requires to keep his attention ' upon driving the car, and it would tend to danger and no doubt to accidents if his attention was distracted by requiring to collect fares and watch passengers to see that none left or boarded cars while in motion with the object of avoiding payment. (4) There would be no one within or on the rear of the car to attend to the safety of passengers, or to warn the motorman should anything happen which might require his prompt attention." It was further pointed out that "the motorman's responsibilities with the heavy cars and the high speeds now in use on modern tramways are very great, and it is necessary that he should give his undivided attention to his work, and not be distracted in any of the ways mentioned ; and 1 am certain that if the proposal were given effect to it would lead to accidents, and therefore probably in the council having to pay large sums by way of compensation. I ajn also certain it would not be iv the best interests of the council or the travelling public." Discussion on the letter was conducted in committee.