The total tonnage may be less than the above, owing to overlapping of the various companies, but for the purpose of my estimates I am taking these official figures.
ESTIMATES UNDER PROPOSED SCHEME.
(a) As to passenger traffic.
There is, of course, no official return as to the proportions of Main line and Local passenger traffic, but it is clear that the percentage of small fares must be very great. Assume that this is over 80 per cent., then there would be in round figures about 300,000,000 (that is under 20 per cent.) of Main line passenger journeys, and assuming that the number of first class passengers will be only 10 per cent. (the above average percentage of first and second class passengers), then the revenue from the existing number of passengers under the new scheme would be as follows:—
| Main Line | 300,000,000 | at 1/- equals | £15,000,000 |
| of whom 30,000,000 at an additional 4/- for First Class equals | 6,000,000 | ||
| Local | 1,320,000,000 | at 1d. equals | 5,500,000 |
| of whom 132,000,000 at an additional 5d. for First Class equals | 2,750,000 | ||
| Present No. | 1,620,000,000 | will produce | £29,250,000 |
as against the present total of £45,000,000, or a deficiency of about £16,000,000 per annum, assuming there should be no increase in the existing traffic. This seems an appalling deficiency, but “Wait and See!”
It is quite clear that there would be a very large increase of traffic, more particularly of the long distance or Main line passengers, as under the existing system the fares for short distances up to 12 or even 20 miles are sufficiently low to remove practically all restrictions. In the case of long distances, however, there is this double restriction for passengers—namely, the time occupied and the high price of the fares. If the latter restriction is removed a very large increase of traffic is sure to result, not only for purposes of pleasure but also for business and trade purposes. The Local traffic will also increase partly by reason of the increased number of long distance passengers requiring the use of the Local lines (both suburban and small branch lines), and partly by the reduction to 1d. of many of the present suburban fares. In order, however, to be on the safe side in the estimate, I propose to take no account of any increase in Local passengers and to reckon only the increase required in the number of Main line passenger journeys. It will then be found that 250,000,000 more Main line passengers will provide for the above large yearly deficiency, as follows:—
| 250,000,000 | at 1/- | £12,500,000 | |
| Add | 25,000,000 | at 4/- for First Class | 5,000,000 |
| £17,500,000 | |||
This will bring the gross receipts from passengers to £46,750,000, with an increase of about 15 per cent. only on the present total number of passengers carried, and £1,750,000 more revenue.