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

April At a meeting of the Town Council, an amendment was moved and seconded that the minute of the Electrical & Tramway Committee which referred to the proposed adoption of 1 penny fare stages should be referred back to them for further consideration. This amendment was put to a vote then declared lost. At a meeting of the Electricity & Tramways Committee, a letter was received from Church UDC requesting an extension of the privilege of free passes for disabled ex-servicemen resident within Church. It was resolved the Town Clerk reply, that with regret the Council could not see their way to granting this request, as the ratepayers of Accrington were already funding the scheme for those disabled Accringtonian ex-servicemen. The Tramway Manager was instructed to put into operation a restricted tramway service with ‘immediate’ effect, due to the dispute in the coal industry. He should commence with a curtailment of night services and those on Sundays. With regard to the recent application by the employees in the Tramway Department to be classified as Grade 1 workers in the Lancashire area. When the Committee decided that the only way they could deal with this issue was through the District Council of the Lancashire & Cheshire Tramways Authority. The Tramway Manager reported that soon he would have to appear before a sub-committee of that authority to express the Council’s views, and he asked the Committee’s guidance on this matter. It was resolved that in view of the fact that the people who were employed by this Corporation were remunerated at least as well as those working for neighbouring authorities, the Tramway Manager was instructed to say that this Committee did not consider it desirable to make any change to their grading. May The Electricity & Tramways Committee met and the Tramway Manager pointed out the necessity of providing toilet facilities for the benefit of the employees of the Tramway Department. He suggested that ground on the northerly side of the Market Hall might be set aside for this purpose. It was resolved - (1) That the Town Hall & Markets Committee should be asked to approve this proposal, subject to this site being found to be suitable. (2) That the Health Committee be asked to contribute to the cost of the work. (3) That these conveniences should also be made available to employees of the Health and Cleansing Depot staff . Due to the ongoing coal dispute the Tramway Manager asked for guidance in the extent to which the Tramway services should be restricted. He was instructed to resume services at the level they were at prior to the Whitsuntide holidays. A letter was received from the National Joint Industrial Council for the tramways industry, urging the setting up of a works committee. It was resolved the Tramway Manager should draw up a scheme for the establishment of one such committee for the Accrington undertaking. Correspondence was then received from the Accrington & District Tradesmen’s Association, which contained a suggestion for the issue of ‘special’ return tickets on all cars. It was resolved the Town Clerk should reply that this Committee regrets that they could not see their way to adopting this suggestion. The Tramway Manager was instructed to submit a scheme for improving the revenue of the Parcels Department. The Borough Treasurer then submitted a summary of the accounts for the Tramway undertaking for the year ending March 31 st , 1921. It was resolved to accept them as follows –

EXPENDITURE

ITEM

1919/2 0 £22,51 7 £11,30 2

1920/2 1

Traffic expense

£28,24 0 £17,66 3

General expense Repairs & maintenance Power expense Banker’s commission Patriotic payments Repairs to Church property Repayment of debt

£4,866 £7,063

£8,825 £9,564

£20 £33

£20

-

-

£2

£4,167 £4,296

270