CASE FOR TRAMS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 15

CASE FOR TRAMS

EACH CITY MUST JUDGE

RAIL SYSTEMS SURVIVE

DESPITE KOAD THREAT

Interviewed in regard to the article dealing with the intended replacement of trams by trolley-buses in Manchester published in Tuesday's "Post," the General Manager of the City Tramways (Mr. M. Cable) said that each city must be its own judge of its own transport problems, and he agreed with Mr. A. E. Ford, manager of the Auckland Transport Board, who had recently visited England, that though there was no universal solution of such problems, it was clear that the tramcar was still the backbone of most large city transport systems. It might well be, he said, that there was a special reason for the adoption of the recommendation of the general manager of the transport committee of the Manchester Corporation, because of the general trend in England towards a shifting of a large part of the population to more suburban areas than formerly, to cater for whom would mean very long extensions of tramway tracks. Wellington had been the first city in New Zealand to try out a trackless tram, and the question of the use of trolley-buses was being considered. THE FARE PROBLEM. While it might be Mr. Pilcher's intention to replace all trams in Manchester by buses in a few years, said Mr. Cable, and while it might well be possible for him to build up a fleet of buses that would show a substantial profit, it might be another matter for him to satisfy the demands of the Manchester citizens and those in outlying districts under the authority of Manchester for ample and cheap transport. The British sectional system of payment did not lend itself as favourably to the extension of the population to the suburbs as did the American system of one fare for the complete trip. There were no concessions in Britain like those in effect in Wellington. The adoption of a uniform fare in Manchester would mean that shortdistance riders would pay. higher fares. One of the difficulties in'adjusting fares for short and long distances was that while people wanted the concession on the longer distance, they objected to paying more for the short distance to make long distance concessions possible. In Wellington, in effect, the concessions gave people the advantages of the American standard fare system, at the same time conferring the benefits of the equitable sectional system in use in Great Britain. He could not at the moment say to what extent the recent tax imposed on heavy oil might affect the success of Mr. Pilcher's change-over, but this, and the fare problems, would certainly not help him.! SUBURBAN TREND. The suburban trend of the populations of the larger English cities, due partly to the slum clearances followed by building campaigns, and partly to the convenience of privatelyowned motor-ears for families, has created new problems for, the majority of British transport authorities, because the system .in general use is one of sections without concessions. The same length of trip is paid for at the same rate, whether at the beginning or end of .the. journey. The fact that it is possible .to., take rides intermediate to the ;main, sections,' for the distance of the main section, at the same price, does not assist those living in the outlying districts. The Manchester transport system is the authority not only for those in the city, but in districts such as Altrincham, Sale, Stretford, Cheadle, Gatley, Middleton, Hey wood, Droylesden, Audenshaw, Failsworth, Denton, and many others, and the fares charged in those districts are the same by agreement as those charged in the city. There seems to be a decided disinclination oh the part of the Manchester authority to give those living further out cheaper section fares than those living in the city, as it is claimed that the ratepayers of Manchester would be subsidising the transport of those outside the city. A PETREL." The success or otherwise of Mr. Pilcher's experiment would be watched everywhere with interest, continued Mr. Cable. Mr: Pilcher, who -ufas regarded as the "stormy petrel" of municipal transport problems in Great Britain could not be accused of not having the courage of his convictions. Possibly his experience in Edinburgh, where he was in eharge of extensive tramway conversions from cable to electric operations at a time when labour and v material were at their peak, had turned his mind in the direction of alternatives. It must not be forgotten that the age and condition of tramway plants played an important part when their renewals or replacements were being considered. Any system introduced to take the place of trams before the, plant had outlived its usefulness, must be saddled with a heavy sum.to overhaul: Reviewing the position as regards trams in various parts of the world, Mr. Cable quQted authorities to show that, as far as the large, closely-popu-lated centres were concerned, trams were not only holding their own, but were in many cases being extended. Edinburgh, the last city in Great Britain to adopt electric tramways, was at the present time extending its tramway system after a trial of less than a decade. LIVERPOOL RETAINS TRAMS. One of the most striking recent reports comparing all forms of such transport, and one which had been given a great deal of prominence, was that of Mr. W. G. Marks, formerly of Nottingham, who had been secured by the Liverpool transport services at a salary of over £2000 a year, and who recommended in November last that the successful Liverpool tramway system should, with, modifications, be continued, and in some directions extended. He estimated the "all in" costs of the various systems under consideration as follows: —Tramcars, 22.518d; trolley vehicles, 26.314d; petrol buses, 28.828d; oil-driven buses, 27.029d. Petrol and oil-driven buses were highest in repairs and maintenance, petrol buses in power costs and total operating costs. He. did not condemn the 'other forms, of transport alluded to, as there are a number of cases where they can be used to advantage as feeders and links, but deprecated the duplication of tram services by bus services. The report recommends the construction of 300 new tramcars, and that replacements in the omnibus fleet be proceeded with at the rate of 40 a year. The total expenditure recommended in the report, which was adopted, was £1,141,500. The extensions of the tramway system recommended are largely for the purpose of eliminating duplication of routes. This report is interesting, both from the undoubted authority of Mr. Marks, and from the fact that Manchester and Liverpool, which are not far distant from each other, have practically the same population. AMERICA TRAM-MINDED. In American cities which were visited by the General Manager (Tramways) of the London Passenger Transport Board (Mr. T. E. Thomas), the

Iramcar carried by far the greatest pro-1" portion of local traffic; indeed, in some of the towns visited there was hardly any other form of surface transport. Places visited by Mr. Thomas were New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, Indianapolis, Erie, Buffalo, Detroit, Schenectady, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Montreal, and Quebec. "Those who cling to the tramcar," said Mr. Thomas, "will find ample confirmation in the United States, where it is always paramount, and sometimes exclusive. The problem is to combat the private high-powered motor-car, which sells at £150, costs only three or four pounds a year in taxation, and runs on gasoline at 8d per gallon." Trolley buses had not made much headway in the United States, as yet. GENERAL ENGLISH OPINION. The "Transport World," in March last, says:— "It is true that the London Passenger Transport Board proposes to convert a considerable milage to trolleybuses, but this is on the , outlying routes, and there is no indication that that board has any intention to abandon . the central tramways, where, of course, the traffic is very heavy. No municipality with a population of more than 140.000 has given up its tramways. On the other hand, it should be noted that some of the largest towns in the country have recently taken action which shows that the tramcar is still regarded as a necessary means of transport for the localities affected." Besides other instances of tramway extensions, this editorial meni tions that Leeds is about to extend its tramway lines to new housing estates, and new cars are being introduced. Edinburgh has also recently placed new cars in service, Belfast is purchasing 50 new tramcars, and Blackpool has purchased 70 in the past eighteen months. While admitting the development in transport of trackless trolley vehicles, and of the heavy oil engine, the general manager of Glasgow Corporation Transport (Mr. Lachlan Mackinnon), in his presidential address at the Municipal Transport Association conference in June' last year, said: "I wish to emphasise my faith in the tramcar for all congested areas, as the safest, cheapest, and most practical means still extant for the conveyance of large masses of the community." JOHANNESBURG'S EXPERIENCE. The report of a commission into the Johannesburg municipal transport system in August last year recommended the purchase of 50 new large tramcars, and further purchases when required, and while at the same time recommending the purchase of some double-deck trolley-buses, and buses, states that, for many years to come, Johannesburg must remain a tramway city. Buses were started in 1926, but have never paid, and the deficit amounts to £48,000. It is interesting to note that the commission deprecated the paying over of large sums from the tramways department to the city's general funds, and considered that money earned by the transport department should be conserved for transport services, and used either to improve services or reduce fares. It was the opinion of the commission that there was scope for trolley-buses where traffic was not too dense, and where expenditure could be saved by limiting the route equipment to wires and poles, plus the necessary overhead equipment. The Bolton Town Council considered the abandonment of tramways, and the substitution of buses, but the costs of road maintenance, and the increase in rates, together with the continuing annual charge for tramways which would be non-existent, were convincing arguments against the proposition. The decision to turn down a change over to'buses was made within the last few months, and it was probably influenced by Liverpool's considered action. "There are numerous other instances where careful comparisons have been made between tramway systems and others," concluded' Mr. Cable, "and where the decision has been to retain and even increase tram services."