Britain Buses Prove Successful Municipal Enterprises

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17607, 24 October 1931, Page 9

Britain Buses Prove Successful Municipal Enterprises

CJOME interesting figures have been j compiled showing the extent to | which the motor bus lias been taken up 'in England and Scotland by the municipalities, which have for many years undertaken the task of public transport of passengers in the cities, and which a few years ago almost exclusively used trams for the purpose. •Notwithstanding the financial stringency, many of these passengercarrying enterprises are run in such a businesslike .way that they show satisfactory profits, thus effecting a welcome relief to the ratepayers. Birmingham, the biggest; municipal operator of motor buses itr .England, showed a reduced profit last year, but nevertheless carried to the'net. revenue amt appropriation account £223,697. The municipality has authorised the purchase oi>7o additional motor buses. Manchester'operates 258 buses, arid has ordered 79 more double-deckers. For the last financial year, the income troth buses advanced by 7<S per cent., from £282,649 to £501,844, while' tlie returns front the tramways decreased. The buses showed a profit of £29,129 for tlic year.

The Coventry Corporation published some Complete figures, showing thrit 53 buses had been placed in commission at a total cost of £119,120 for vehicles and plant. After paying interest, redemption, depreciation, and 6thCr charges, there whs a net profit of £7873. The buses travelled .1,625,892 miles during the fast financial year, an increase of 267,128 miles over the previous year’s mileage, while the total number off passengers carried irieferised by dearly 2,090,000 to 12,638,385. Each bus averaged 116 unites a day, at a speed of 9.03 miles an hour. The average fare paid hvas 1.86 d. a passenger. Edinburgh operated 13.1 motor buses and 22 motor coaches, which carried 31,755,580 passengers during tlie year. This total was almost 8 per cent, greater than that of the previous year. Capital expenditure was £404,449, Which was depreciated by £268,409 out of earnings. The buses covered 3,809,350 miles during the year, arid £22,676 was carried forward to the credit of net revenue.

Mb tor buses in Sunderland carried 7,268,220 passengers during the year, more than double the number for the previous year. Receipts were £IB,OOO more than those of the previous year. Southport lias added 15 new doubledeckers to its fleet of 22 vehicles, on which 2,525,417 passengers were carried last year. The capital outlriv on the 22 buses amounted to £40,185; £4900 is to be spent on a now garage. At Hull; 56 municipal buses arc operating, and they travelled 1,649,648 miles last year, carrying 12,072,194 passengers. The profit carried amounted to £8997; on a gross capital expenditure ot £99,533. The corporation buses in Deeds carried .1,664,212 more passengers last year than in 1929, and earned £18,652 extra revenue. Passengers on tlie trains defireased by 2;597,171 lirid earnings by £13,002 last year. The Bournemouth Corporation’s 61 buses earned a satisfactory profit for the yfiar after covfiriiig 1,178,106 miles ami carrying (5,463,541. passengers.