TRAMS DISCARDED

Hawera Star, Volume L, 25 October 1930, Page 12

TRAMS DISCARDED

ENGLISH TOWNS EXPERIENCE

BETTER SERVICE FROM BUSES

Mr. A. B. .Slater, general manager of the transport department, Burton-on-Trent corporation, in an article in the July issue of “Bus and Coach’’ gives details as to why and how he replaced his- trams with four and six-

cylinder petrol buses. In considering these changes he says that so far as could be estimated there was no hop of the revenue of the tramways bein s able to provide more than the working expenss, leaving the capital charges and any sum spent on renewals to be provided out of rates. Further, a considerable outlay would have been necessary in a few years for renewing rails, foundations, and overhead equipment, and any question of a considerable programme, of remaking main roads in the borough would have to be studied in relation to the retention or i otherwise of the tramways. I From ~the date of inauguration of I the trams in 1903 to the end of March, I 1929, £65,640 was taken from the rates to meet capital charges and renewals, which meant 2d in the £ in the rates over a. period of 25 years. After a .one and anxious consideration, therefore, the Tramways Committee decided to abandon the whole of the tramways, and 31st, Decepiber, 1929, saw the final closing down of the system. The Corporation at that time had a fleet of 23 buses in commission and 18 more were ordered. The mileage of the buses is now 18, against the 61 j miles that were covered by tramway tracks. With the scrapping of the trams fares were revised, and in most cases reduced. In some instances the stages were lengthened. The buses have been run at a profit ever since they' were first introduced (in 1924), and in the year ending 31st March, 1930, after paying interest on loans and making provision for repayment. there was a surplus of £1289. The revenue per mile was 10.65 d and the working expenses 8.48 d, capital charges amounting to 1.75 c! per mile, making an inclusive cost of 10.23 d per mile.

The number of 'passengers carried was roughly 52- millions, or about 117 journeys per head of the population. Previous to the introduction of the buses the passengers were about four millions per annum. The public of Burton-on-Trent have appreciated the more mobile- form of transport; in fact the problem of the greatly-reduced number of people using the tramcars whenever buses were available was a great factor in deciding on the change-over. Believing that the human element is a very important factor, Mr. Slater felt it desirable that as many as possible of the tramway drivers and conductors—some of whom had been in the service of the Corporation since 1903—-should be trained for this work. These men, after being passed by the medical officer as physically fit, were first put through the training school and afterwards given a lengthy course on the roads under working conditions with a competent driver. The older men have been working the light traffic routes with satisfaction. Men not suitable for the job were transferred to different Corporation departments, so the change-over did not throw any of the employees out of work.