BUS OR BOAT?

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 143, 20 June 1925, Page 7

BUS OR BOAT?

COMPETITION AT EASTBOURNE

STATEMENT BY EAST HARBOUR

MAYOR.

"On Ist Juno a bus sorvico was commenced between the bays and Wellington," said the general manager (Mr. J. V. Menzies), in a report to ths Eastbourne Borough Council last evening. "It is conducted by private owners, and is seemingly fairly well patronised. It is a competition which was bound to come, m' common with the trend of events in other places. In respect of competition between trams and buses, the council must be prepared for continued competition of this nature. How it is to be met is a matter for consideration by the comicil as a whole. I am satisfied, however, that during bad weather, such as has.obtained of late, there is a certain percentage of our population who would avoid the sea trip, no matter what inducement was offered by the council." The matter was dealt with in committee, but the Mayor (Mr. H. M. Jones) made an explanation of the matter. "It has come to my notice that certain inaccurate statements and misunderstandings are in circulation in connection with the Eastbourne bus service and subsidy," he said. .In the dying hours ot the last council an application was made by the bus proprietors for relief m regard to the heavy motor vehicles tax, and failing that an increase in the subsidy of £68 per. annum. The late council refused to deal with the matter, and referred the matter to the incoming council. He had seen the bus proprietors, and he had frankly told them that, in his opinion, the subsidy should be sub. sfcanfcially increased. In order to allow them to state their case, ho asked the proprietors to wait on the council as a deputation. This they agreed to do, but failed to fulfil the appointment. The conncil then wrote to them pointing out that nothing could be done to increase the;, subsidy unless they placed their quirements before the council. To this letter the bus proprietors did not reply, tor the very good reason that they had already made arrangements to put buses on the road between Eastbourne and the city, and ho had told them definitely that a consideration of the subsidy would be that they would not enter into competition with the ferry service. . "Surely this was a reasonable precaution if we were to give them, a subsidy of something in the vicinity of £150," addod Mr. Jones.

The Mayor said that ho approached the bus proprietors the morning- after the advertisements in regard to the bus service appeared, and they- gave their word that the service to meet the boats would be maintained regularly and without any variation o£ the time-table. This arrangement has not been kept, and on several occasions inconvenience has been caused passengers by the buses {ailing to connect with the boats. The council then wrote again to the bus proprietors asking what they intended to do in regard to the local service. No reply was received to this request, and since then three more, boats had been missed. Summed up, said Mr. Jones, the bus proprietors have apparently decided that the road traffic was of more value to them than the subsidy, and they were now seeking the support and sympathies o£ Eastbourne residents.

"I would point out," concluded the Mayor, "that tho people own the boats, and in their own interests they should at all times look at it from that point of view. Profits, from the boats are theirs, but so are any losses. The council is endeavouring by every possible means to make up the leeway brought about by heavy capital commitments, tlie recent epidemic, etc. The boats can only succeed by the united co-operation and support of all sections of the community."