EASTBOURNE BUSES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 56, 30 November 1926, Page 8

EASTBOURNE BUSES

MAYOR ADVISES PURCHASE “I give it as my considered opinion that there is no alternative but to purchase, to get control of the transport to and from out district,” said the Mayor of Eastbourne (Mr. H. M. Jones) yesterday, when referring to the. poll to be taken to-morrow in connection with the proposal to purchase the fleet of buses running between Eastbourne and the city. “To anvone who cares to investigate our affairs it is abundantly evident that something has to be done, and done quickly, if we are to prevent further heavy losses on our ferries. I think it will be admitted by all that everything possible has been done to cut down the expenses and increase the revenue on the ferries, and it is to the credit of the present council that they have done exceedingly well in this direction. Side by side with the substantial reductions in the expense is the ever-decreasing revenue, which, to those charged with the responsibility, is most alarming. Might I point out that since April last we have saved the borough approximately £l5OO on the expenditure side of our ferries, but have lost a similar amount of revenue, whilst an investigation of the bus revenue will show that they have.not only held their own, but their takings, have about doubled.

"The council is fully aware of the responsibility it is asking the ratepayers to share, and only recommends the purchase’ after thorough investigation, not because it expects to make big profits, but because it believes it can prevent further loss. This much is certain. Buses are here and here to stay, and whilst thev are in competition with the boats the loss on the boats will be there, and it will in nil probability increase My advice is: Cut out this insane and ruinous competition, and we will have a reasonable chance of ultimately winning through. So far as I am aware, no one has as vet been able to suggest anv other wav out. There are plentv of ‘wild cat’ .schemes in the air, but serious investigation proves them worthless.”