THE MOTOR BUS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12968, 7 May 1906, Page 2

THE MOTOR BUS.

• RIVALS ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS. Both abroad and at. home (says the London "Daily Mail'") doubts are 'being raised as to the wisdom of further investing public' money .V in municipal tramways. The motor-omnibus" ia proving a victorious rival of the electric tramways everywhere, and in London'will soon, affect the railway suburban traffic. "■■'- Abroad, Berlin has decided not to spend more money on electric tramways; Munich is considering the; adoption ?of a municipal service of motor-omnibuses; and from Roveredo, South Tyrol, comes the news that that town and; Schio are combining for a motor line between them, which would also improve' the • communication with Venice. ' -: 4f'; h° me - has 'decided 'against electric: ptamyfajs'; ;b.ecause ~of -motor oninipns'' -deyelbpmenis £- : are 'desirous, of fusing ; motor omnibuses c as feeders to' thenyhas already ordered itwo for-this, purpose;, the Manchester Corporation are threatened ""Ttb- rivalry by tienfffrlj registered-Dis-trict Motor. Omnibus Company, "will- ■ compete with their electric system-ffi the j suburbs: and Birkenhead, which has spent ; £335,000 on tramways, has "brought an .action to restrain a railway companyfrom using motor-omnibuses: , . Ail these; facts, point to a great and speedy development of motor-omnibus services as tie ideal for city and. suburban work. There is a great deal in thfivcommeht which ; was niade ap£op"os of .yjthfc recent opening-of the electric tramway&vio Kingston. The Mayor of Kingston said the town had waited 703 years for the coming, of the electric tramways,'-and it) was remarked that it would bave done better to wait 704 years arid have/the motor-mnibus." ... . Kingston, however, is, supplied by private enterprise Where the \ changes in the mode dffctreet travel aro'; bound to have a disastrous effect,-is_Tn-;tnose cities and boroughs with expensive^' installations of electric tramways paid fprvand maintained by tbe ratepayers. Almost daily on the County Council system is locked Owing either to a temporary defect on the line itself f or to other vehicles coming to grief on the rails. A long string of .cars will be kept at a standstill by a broken-down costerbarrow or an. obstinate donkey. Among the advantages .of the motoromnibus to the general public, whether aa passengers or ratepayers, aire these :- Entail no cost ..to. the .' Cause no laying'.'oi rails* •■.'■•''• Do not require repairs.. ,.' • Actual use only paid for. '-''..•' Do not interfere with other traffic Do not disfigure streets with trolley, posts. ■'.'•.. . -■*:' When broken down easily removed. Cause no compensation for street widening. :'- _ Can, alter routes at onra

For London traffic they are already serious competitors with the County Council tramways, and with the railways. One of the best paying routes for motoromnibuses is along the line of the "Twopenny Tube," and one of the most popular services in existence is Tilling's Peckham to Oxford street cars, which for a long distance compete with the . electric tramway cars, but, instead of stopping south of the river, carry passengers into the heart of the shopping districts. Not for two years will the London County Council have elert'"* r "d \+" "PTthern lines, and then only at an e.iormous : cost. It is safe to pr. patsy iiiii baiort the two years have passei the w..o'e ol the main roads of North Lo- ' >i to then, utmost bounds will be oovere" with swift, comfortable motor-omnibuses. In that case the ratepayers will be face to face with a loss which will be disastrous to metropolitan, finances. So rapidly have events moved that it is hard to realise that the " Vanguard " have not yet been twelve months on the streets. Other companies are decidedly younger. Already they have received 120. vehicles' or chassis, and of these ninety are plying for hire. Delivery of omnibuses is being accelerated week by week. Last month they received no fewer than 47, and they have 200 on order for this twelve months and 300 to follow," making 500, in two years. The London General Omnibus Company is now hastening to make up for lost time; so is the Road- Car Company and other subsidiary organisations which vhave been driven out of their trust in j the slow horsed omnibns.