Jack Report—a Li ttle Action at Last
Page 31
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"IETAILED studies of passenger trans
port facilities in a few selected areas re to be Started by the Minister of -ransport. Announcing this in the ;ominons last week, Mr. MarPles said hat the studies would also find out how ssential needs were, being met at present. "These studies will cover ways of .sing existing resources„ whether public T private, more flexibly and to greater ffect, so as to relieve any hardship thich may be found to exist," he said. "I would hope to have the full ssistance of the transport undertakings, 3cal authorities, and local voluntary relfare organizations, and of all public odies with transport resources in the reas selected, in making these .studies nd in carrying out any pilot experiments /filch it might seem desirable to under This news came when Mr. Marples tas pressed by .several M.P.s to take action oh the Jack -Report. He had been considering the problem of rural transport and 'the Report, said Mr. -Marples, but this was an . intricate matter. Circumstances varied from case to case.
He pointed out that where the closure of railway passenger lines or stations was concerned he had power under the Transport Act to require the Railways Board to provide and maintain alternative bus services where hardship would otherwise arise. He would have the advice of the Area Transport Users' Consultative Committees in assessing any hardship involved.
"Essentially the problem arises from the gradual reduction in public transport, including bus services, as fewer people use it," he went on. "The relatively, small numbers of people affected make the problem particularly intractable. But we should be clear that it is not due to any overall lack of transport."