• Passengers Fight
Page 4
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ARESOLUTION declaring opposition to the nationalization of road passenger transport was passed last week at the first public meeting held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne of the Omnibus Passengers' Protection Association.
Mr. C. V. H. Vincent, who presided, said the 0.P.P.A. Wits not concerned with the matter from the bus owners' pOiu :af view, but only as it affected the " travelli ig public. Under the Transport Act, if there were opposition to the nationalization of road passenger services, a-public inquiry would have to be held.
Mr. J. L. Cox said that other industries had been nationalized because they were said to be monopolies. Road passenger transport -could not be described as a monopoly, as there were 4,800 operators. Bus owners, and especially . private operators, had not increased their fares. to imy marked extent in 30 years. _
Mr_ Cox said that three reasons had been given for nationalization. First. it would do away with petty restrictions; second, resources at present available would be better deployed to the advantage of the community,. and, third, there would be further co-ordination between road and rail.
He had not been able to discover these petty restrictions: -He wondered. whether, . under nationalization, the public would receive greater efficiency and more frequent services than under private enterprise. Co-ordination with ' the railways, he thought, meant bring, ing the bus fares to the level of railway fares.
Mr. Cox criticized members of local n28