Accrington on Rails - The Tramways: A Complete History - Robert Kenyon

After much consideration it was decided to make an application to the Ministry of Transport for permission to increase all fares by 50%, and subject to approval that all ‘ordinary’ fares be increased by this amount, with workpeople’s 2½ pence tickets increase by one half-penny (½d) or 20%. June The Town Council met when it was resolved to refer back to the Electricity & Tramway Committee the minute referring to an increase in tramway fares. At a meeting of the Electricity & Tramways Committee also held on this day, the Tramway Manager submitted an application from the manager of the Hippodrome Theatre for permission to fix an illuminated sign on a tramway standard at the top of Ellison Street, where the entertainments centre was located. It was resolved that permission would be granted subject to a payment of 3 guineas (£3 – 3s – 0d) per annum plus a charge for the amount of electricity it consumed. July The Electricity & Tramways Committee met and the Tramway Manager submitted an analysis of the number of calls the Motor Ambulance had attended during the period October 13 th , 1915 to June 20 th , 1920, pointing out that the charge of 9 pence per mile was fixed for persons using this vehicle from outside the area of the ‘local’ hospital, whilst the cost of operating this service had increased considerably. It was resolved that in all future instances of this nature the cost would increase to 1 shilling and 3 pence (1/3d) per mile. August The Electricity & Tramways Committee met, when a letter was received from the Clerk to the Guardians intimating their Board had considered the recent increase in the price of using the Motor Ambulance. It asked the Committee to review this matter and agree to only apply this charge outside the Borough boundary only. It was resolved the Tramway Manager would be authorised to deal with this matter, as they could not see their way to accede to an application from the LOCAL Ambulance Association for a variation in the revised charge. September The Electricity & Tramways Committee met to receive several petitions from residents of the Borough, along with a communication from Clayton-le-Moors UDC asking for the Corporation to extend the ‘restricted’ hours during which workpeople’s fares were valid, so as to include the sixty minutes between 8am and 9am each day. Also read out was a letter from Clayton enclosing a copy of a resolution submitted by them to the Ministry of Transport, expressing the opinion that the ‘temporary’ increase in fares should not exceed 2½d for the through journey between Accrington and Clayton and that the distance should be divided into three stages of 1 penny each. Also received was a letter from Church UDC suggesting the adoption of two, one penny stages between Accrington and Church. It was resolved that the current arrangements with regard to tramway stages and workpeople’s fares would remain in place until the end of the year, when the whole position would be reviewed. A letter was received from the North East Lancashire Carriage Proprietors’ Association asking the Corporation not to run any more ‘special’ cars to the cemetery on Burnley Road for the conveyance of funeral parties. No motion was moved with regard to this request. October At a meeting of the Electricity & Tramways Committee, the Town Clerk reported he had given the Postmaster General the statutory six months’ notice to terminate the agreement with regard to the conveyance of mails and employees of the postal service as per the terms. He had then been visited by a representative of the Post Master General and along with the Tramway Manager and the Vice-Chair had discussed the terms of a new agreement to last for a further five years. Subject to this Committee’s approval they had agreed an increase from £175 per annum to £262 per year which represented an increase of 50%. It was resolved to accept these terms and to renew the agreement accordingly. Meeting again the Tramway Manager sought the Committee’s guidance as to which services should be reduced during the national coal strike. It was resolved that ALL services should be suspended up until 17:00 on Sundays and then operated as normal until 22:00, at which point the cars would leave the Peel Street stops and return to the depot. Similarly all cars would come off service at 22:00 on weekdays. A petition was then received from a group of residents living on Burnley Road, asking for the restoration of a stop on the main road near the old brewery ( Peel Park Gardens ). It was resolved the Tramway Manager would look into this matter and then report back. It was then resolved to implement the recent agreement between the National Employers’ Association of Vehicle Builders and the Union representing coach builders and coach painters with regard to pay. This would increase the wages of these employees by 2 pence per hour, and would come into force on the first full week of pay, backdated to September 1 st last.

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