Public passenger transport in inter-war Britain : the Southern Railway's response to bus competition, 1923-39
Scholarly criticisms of the quality of British railway management between the world wars have focused partly on the allegedly inept reaction to the threat of bus competition. By contrast this thesis shows that the Southern Railway (SR) developed policies and practices with regard to the bus industry that were rational and broadly successful given the legal, political and economic circumstances. The SR was probably atypical of the four major inter-war railways. Because of the social and economic geography of the areas it served, it suffered less from bus competition and a smaller decline in receipts from passenger trains. Nevertheless in common with the rest of the industry, management action was greatly hampered in the 1920s by political opposition to direct bus operation. A key finding is that legislation in 1928 had the unintended effect of determining that the railways instead entered into partnerships with bus companies. In the SRâs case this policy produced considerably greater returns on capital than historians have hitherto thought. The SR influenced rather than controlled its associated bus companies, allowing them considerable commercial freedom. Even so the SR was largely able to shape network
Davies, Reg
Public passenger transport in inter-war Britain : the Southern Railway's response to bus competition, 1923-39. Scholarly criticisms of the quality of British railway management between the world wars have focused partly on the allegedly inept reaction to the threat of bus competition. By contrast this thesis shows that the Southern Railway (SR) developed policies and practices with regard to the bus industry that were rational and broadly successful given the legal, political and economic circumstances. The SR was probably atypical of the four major inter-war railways. Because of the social and economic geography of the areas it served, it suffered less from bus competition and a smaller decline in receipts from passenger trains. Nevertheless in common with the rest of the industry, management action was greatly hampered in the 1920s by political opposition to direct bus operation. A key finding is that legislation in 1928 had the unintended effect of determining that the railways instead entered into partnerships with bus companies. In the SRâs case this policy produced considerably greater returns on capital than historians have hitherto thought. The SR influenced rather than controlled its associated bus companies, allowing them considerable commercial freedom. Even so the SR was largely able to shape network
public transport inter_war britain southern railway response bus competition scholarly criticisms quality british railway management world_war focus partly allegedly reaction threat bus competition contrast show southern railway develop policy_practice regard bus industry rational broadly successful give legal political_economic circumstance probably atypical four_major inter_war railway social_economic geography area serve suffer less bus competition small decline receipt train nevertheless common rest industry management action greatly hamper political_opposition direct bus operation key find legislation unintended effect determine railway instead enter partnership bus company case policy produce considerably great return capital historian hitherto thought influence rather control associate bus company allow considerable commercial freedom even largely able shape network