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

The ‘actual’ sum set aside on March 31 st , 1924 is £37,974 – 4s – 8d. The deficit on this basis being = £8,571 – 2s – 8d. Calculating this year’s contributions @ 2½ pence per car mile, (which is approximately the present cost of permanent way renewals), the amount would be £5,845 – 7s – 1d, a difference of £3,507 – 4s – 3d. The corresponding figure for the past four years = £13,970 – 18s – 0d. This would give a deficit on this Fund of £26,049 – 4s – 11d. The total length of single track is equal to 10½ miles. Taking the cost of renewal at £11,000 per mile of track, there is only sufficient money to renew 3½ miles of track, and this after 17 years which is one more than the estimated length of life the track would have when first laid. It is now ‘estimated’ that the track will serve for a further four years. The total sum taken from the rates and not yet repaid amounted to £2,558 at the end of this financial year. It was resolved to accept the Borough Treasurer’s report. June The Electricity & Tramways Committee met and the Tramway Manager reported he had received via the General Secretary of the Municipal Tramways Association notice of the termination of the Sliding Scale Agreement of September, 1922, whilst at the same time making an application for an increase of wages by 10%. It was resolved the Tramway Manager should attend a conference to be held in London, of the tramway authorities on July 11 th , in order to debate this matter. The Sub-Committee had very carefully considered the question of making a concession to the travelling public by way of reduced fares, and after reviewing several options it was decided that for a trial period starting on August, 14 th , return tickets could be issued to ordinary fare-paying passengers at a reduction of one-sixth. The 1½ pence stage passengers could have the option of a return ticket at 2½ pence, and 3 pence stage passengers could have the option of a return ticket at 5 pence. This was recommended to the Council for adoption. A letter was received from the Secretary of the Unionist Labour Committee of the Conservative & Unionist Association asking if the Council would permit children up to the age of 14 to travel on the trams at half fare, not only as at present during school hours, but at any time of the day. This matter was referred to the Sub-Committee for further consideration. July The Town Council met to accept the minute of the Electricity & Tramways Committee on the subject of a revision of tramway fares. Following discussions, they resolved to refer it back for further consideration. On the15 th at a meeting of the Electricity & Tramways Committee, the Chairman reported on the recent conference of the Tramway Authorities Association, which he along with the Tramway Manager and Vice-Chair had attended, in order to consider the application made by the Transport & General Workers’ Union. The conference voted unanimously that the existing agreement made with the tramway employees would stay in place until it was due to expire the following August, and then the matter would be referred to arbitration. The Committee then considered their minute which referred to a proposed reduction in the fares charged on the tramway, which had been sent back to them by the Full Council. August The Tramway Manager submitted his and the Sub-Committee’s reports on the proposed reduction in tramway fares to a meeting of the Electricity & Tramways Committee. The report was as follows - The Tramways Sub-Committee met on Thursday, July 24 th , to once again give detailed consideration to the subject of a revision of fares and fare-stages on the Tramway, as referred back to them by the Full Council. This meeting was a protracted one and gave each member the opportunity to ‘freely and frankly’ express themselves upon the various proposals which were put forward in an endeavour to bring this long running issue to a conclusion. The object being to initiate a minimum fare of 1 penny and after hearing all the submissions, the following resolution was passed and unanimously carried, “that the revised list of fares and stages as follows should be given a trial period, commencing as and from Thursday, September 24 th , and that this should be recommended to the Full Committee for their approval”. CLAYTON-LE-MOORS SECTION TO & FROM Adult Chil d Eagle Street and Owen Street 1 penny ½ d Owen Street and Oakleigh 1 penny ½ d Oakleigh and Church Lane 1 penny ½ d Church Lane and Clayton 1 penny ½ d

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