New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-26
LONDON TRANWAYS
SHOW BIG DEFICIT
Carry 5S.OOO.0OO Fewer
Passengers a Year
than Motor Buses.

London. July rs. Again the London
motor buses are subject for discus
sion. IN view Of The greater number
Of passengers carried by such vehicles
than on the tramways Of the London
County Council Figures for last YEAR
ust made public. show that 5s0.00OOOo
passengers used the buses, whereas
orlv So 100000 used the cars.
.'Wbv do more Loudoners prefer the
motor bus. which is dcarer. mike TOR
mile. TO travel on o." This Is ques-
ton which came up at the meeting
Of the Council. when the report SUB
nittcd showed that the Working OF
the gtrcetcars had resulted IN de-
fciencv Of $4,000 IN the last year,
which has 20 be met from the general
reserve.
1t vas asserted that if the concern
rad been worked on company basis
the dividend this year would have been
E per cent. The London General ON
nibus Company paid las year dlVl-
dcnd Of IS per cent on ordinary snare
carltal. which is about one-thlrd Of IT,
rotal capital expenditure. so tnat the
dividends OF the company and me
Councils concerns are about equal.
Competition Greatly Increased.
The causes for the falling off in the
streetcar receipts. according to the
Highways committee OF the Council. are
that or many routes the Streetcars
cannot carry passengers 70 tnelr re.
ouired destinations and competition Of
motor buses on street luc routes mas
Greatly increased The remedies sug-
l. saF g.
tension of through running with other
systems. increasing the number OF
traitors during the rush hours. extern
SION o. lines 20 better recognized traffic
points. and linking up the system so as
C. do away with dead ends.
In population numbering seven and
quarter millions the Council finds
that the advantage offered by trans
fer and return fares are not known
widely enough. To overcome TINS, a
campaign of publicity IS contemplated.
The highways committee makes a
GREAT point Of the serious handicaps
which financially affect the Councils
undertaking as compared with the mo-
tor buses. Il is stated that while IL
cense duty and taxes put burden OF
elS5 on every motor bus yearly. the
tax on every streetcar includes rates on
track and buildings ard charge on
street widenings. amounting 20 S93o a
year. It is emphatlcally explained
that il the motor buses paid the same
tax for the use OF roads as street
cars. the return on the capital after
deducting working expenses would be
infinitesimal. which means that no one
would think it worth while to run mo-
tor buses in London.
The Public vitality Concerned.
The public is vitality concerned with
this matter Of street traffic As house
holders they are paying for repair of
roads which are damaged by motor
buses. but they save more than
quarter of million year
paid out of strcetcar receipts in rates.
track maintenance and street widening.
BUS passengers pay nearly $4,000, 600
a year more than they would do if
they travelled to their destinations on
streetcars. Bat there is reason. and
vital one. and il Is reasonable 10
assume that il is the principal reason
why the bus appears to have gained
such strong hold on London. While
s'rectcars tanc passengers 20 the
edges OF the busy centres, the buses
carry them right through such centres.
saving time and money by such con
venicnccs. Even the strongest advo-
Gates Of ,he strcetcar consider that
both types Of vehicles are necessary TO
London's life and work.
The motor BUS is privileged vehicle
and is permitted TO be so to meet The
public convenience. During this year
tic hght over traffic is expected to be
kecner than ever before. Tor the County
Council will no doubt take farreaching
steps TO prevent It's undertaking from
drifting into insolvency by the wiping
out OF the reserve fund in 4 few years.
The London General Omnibus Company
must make rcdoub,cd efforts to secure
from the travelling public the 81 900. 600
which il has conceded TO It's employees
and resist, If IL is TO continue in bust
ness, a suggestion which has been made
that il mould pay 80 much per bus
mile for road repair.
At the present moment u has been
suggested that Parliament should lay
down general principle which would
apply 20 the whole country