PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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PLYMOUTH JOINT SERVICES The relations between Plymouth Corporation Transport Department and the Western National Omnibus Company were never cordial. The Corporation wanted to extend their service to outlying districts like St Budeaux, Crownhill, and Eggbuckland to which Western National objected, and the Company wanted to improve its facilities in Plymouth by constructing its own bus station, to which the Corporation objected. But the situation changed dramatically in 1941. In just seven nights of just one year, 1941, the heart was torn out of Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport. The Blitz turned the homes and businesses in the centre of Plymouth into a pile of rubble. The people moved further and further into the outskirts and while that was to the benefit of Western National, it meant that the Corporation was losing its passengers. To try to redress this imbalance, the Corporation sought powers from the Regional Transport Commissioner to extend its services outside the City boundary to Oreston, Dean Cross, Plympton, and through Compton and Crownhill to St Budeaux. The Company objected. In the weight of loads of complaints about the service in Plymouth, the Commissioner issued a memorandum to both parties on April 17th 1941, citing the forthcoming agreement of co-operation between Portsmouth Corporation and Southdown Motor Services as a suitable basis for use in Plymouth. When the Corporation's application to extend its services was formally examined at a public inquiry on June 13th, the decision went, unsurprisingly, against them. Even as late as October and November, the Corporation's Transport Manager, was still being told by councillors to oppose any move on the part of the Company. However, they could not ignore the Commissioner for ever and on December 5th they had to attend a conference at the Commissioner's Office in Bristol. The outcome must have been pretty clear as on December 23rd the City's Treasurer and Transport General Manager, met with representatives from the Company. After much further discussion, a Joint Committee was formed and they met at the Commissioner's offices on September 7th 1942. Councillor R H Baker, the chairman of the City Tramways and Transport Committee, was elected to the chair. The City's representatives were Aldermen Lovell Dunstan and Solomon Stephens, Councillors L J Hodge and W T Reeve, the Town Clerk, the City Treasurer and the General Manager and Engineer of the Transport undertaking. Western National's team consisted of Messrs F C A Coventry and P G Stone, directors; Mr E F Horobin, the Traffic Manager; Mr H L Ellis, Secretary; and Mr B V Smith, General Manager and Chief Engineer. Also present was Mr A G Dennis, the solicitor to the holding company, Thomas Tilling Ltd. Mr Dennis presented a draft agreement he had drawn up in consultation with the Town Clerk. It divided the revenue, mileage and operating expenses on the basis of 80% to the Corporation and 20% to the Company. The Joint Committee would settle the matters of fares, timetables and alterations to services although they would not have jurisdiction over services that ran partly in and partly out of the agreed area and which had a minimum single fare of two shillings and sixpence. Interestingly, traffic inspectors could board and carry out their inspections on the vehicles of either party. The Plymouth Joint Services Agreement was formally approved by the full Council on April 27th 1942 and became operative from Thursday October 1st 1942 and the notice "Use Any Bus, Red or Green" came into being. The Agreement was legally executed on November 2nd. In the meantime, in the Autumn of 1941 the number of standing passengers that could be carried had been increased under Emergency Powers to twelve and from Sunday April 12th 1942 the forming of queues for buses and trams became compulsory. Officially: 'Passengers must form a queue with not more than two abreast as soon as six or more passengers are waiting'. Early in June 1942 one thoughtful person wrote to the Western Evening Herald suggesting that seats should be provided on the buses going to Tavistock for the conductresses. Some route alterations were announced in November 1942. The 27 was to terminate at Widey Lane instead of Linketty Lane as a result of the introduction of route 79 from Plymouth to Eggbuckland via the Blue Bird Cafe. The 82 was to cease running to Tamerton Foliot via the Railway Station and Milehouse and go through Mutley Plain and Crownhill and the 95 was to be extended from the Theatre Royal to Dean Cross at Plymstock. And on December 10th 1942 six women ticket inspectors were appointed despite objections form the Transport & General Workers' Union. Monday September 1st 1952 saw the introduction of the the new Leyland "highbridge" double-deck buses on routes 1, 2 and 16. Passengers would now be able to stand upright on the top deck and those sat on the offside downstairs would be able to stand up in their seats without crashing their heads against the sunken gangway from the top deck. The Plymouth Joint Services Agreement ran until the privatisation of transport services in 1986, when it collapsed. As Plymouth did not suffer the cut-thoat competition that broke out in some areas of Great Britain, it must be said that the spirit of the Agreement has to some extent been carried forward.
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