BRITISH RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 80, 2 October 1933, Page 9

BRITISH RAILWAYS

FIGHT WITH THE BUSES

PENNY-A-MILE FARES

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, August 10. Early in the summer the four big railway companies decided to make a drastic "experiment in an endeavour to recapture the passenger trade from the motor coaches Thoy reduced the rate of fares of return journeys to what was equivalent to ono penny a mile, instead of the standard rate of lid per mile. Their courage has been justified by results, and i they have now announced that tho reduction will remain in.forco until the end of the year. Tho new faros arc being prolonged to the end >f the year for the benefit of those who are taking latr holidays, to provide for the Christmas holiday rush, and to retain the patronage »f tho railways' newly-won customers. "The companies are thoroughly satisfied with tho success of the penny-a-mile policy so far," said a railway official, "and are hoping that it will be found to have justified itself in" ' increased receipts as well as an increased number of passengers. Tho future of penny-a-milo fares depends absolutely upon this issue." The principal 'conditions governing the issue of "Summer Tickets" are:— Availability on any day, by any train, between, any two stations in Great Britain,, with minimum fares of 4s first class and 2s 6d third class. The outward halves are available for three days, and the return journey may be .made at any time within one calendar- month. A break of journey in either direction is permitted, and in many cases there is a choice of alternative routes for the return journey. OTHER INNOVATIONS. The introduction of the "Summer Ticket" pnd the extension now announced constitute tho greatest step ever taken by the railways to regain their business. It is the principal measure adopted in a year which has seen unprecedented energy and ingenuity on the part of the companies to introduce facilities likely to have a popular, appeal. • , Many of these innovations have involved the expenditure of considerable sums of money. Many have produced, in themselves, only small revenue. In the aggregate, however, they have been amply justified. • . Among scores of recent improvements and additions to the railway services are the following:—■ ' Electrifications, widenings, new stations, etc."Commercial travellers" to seek passenger traffic. Unusual excursions, rambles, and "train cruises." Complete . holiday arrangements, including hotel accommodation. Buffets and shops on trains. New and improved rolling-stock. Kail-road and rail-air joint working. Speeding tip of -many, main-line expresses.. . ... . ; INCREASED RECEIPTS. Tho companies have found, however, a definite tendency towards increased ■.passenger' receipts, and, while the figures have tended to fluctuate somewhat, as compared with the receipts of corresponding weeks last year, the different companies have found that in many weeks they have shown a material incrpase. The figures for May, newly published, show an increase over tho May of last year of nearly 1,000,000 passengers carried at reduced ( rates, contrasted with a"-decrease of more than 1,500,000 in the passenge s carried at ordinary or standard fares. And the decrease in the one kind was not to any extent due to the increase in the other khid. The period tickets by ordinary trains relieve tho companies of the necessity of putting on the extra trains for tl\e seven, fourteen, or seventeen days' excursions, which used to tie run in addition to the regular trains.