BUS MILEAGE CHARGES.
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The Middlesex County Council Decides to Allow Motorbuses to Use the Great West Road Without Imposing a Mileage Charge.
41 highwayscommittee of the Middlesex County Council recalls that in 1925 it had had under consideration the question of the use of the Great West Road by omnibuses, when it was pointed out that the county council has power, under Section. 24 of the Great West Road Act, to charge Id. per vehicle-mile run by motor omnibuses along the road. The, attention of the county council was also drawn to the fact that, by virtue of Section 10 of the Roads Act, 1920, the Minister of Transport may suspend, modify or determine the liability of ally person to pay these charges. Upon being approached in the matter the Ministry of Transport stated that the Minister, whilst not desiring to prejudice any decision that he might arrive at on appeal, in view of any special factors the county council might desire to put before him, which, in its opinion, would justify the' imposition of a mileage charge in this case, he is definitely and distinctly opposed to mileage charges in principle. It was not proposed to run any omnibus services along the 'road at that time and the matter was, therefore, left in abeyance.
The London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., has for some time past been running a service along the Great West Road, and it is desirous of obtaining the decision of the county council as to whether the mileage charge would be enforced. After giving the matter careful consideration the committee is of opinion that, in view of the amount paid by motor omnibuses in taxation, the county council should agree to ,forego tht mileage charge, subject, however, to the company paying an annual sum by way of acknowledgment of the county council's rights under Section 24 of the Great West Road Act, 1914, on the understanding that such an agreement will• in no way prejudice the right of appeal by the omnibus company under Section 10 of the Roads Act, 1920.
Pending the decision of the council in connection with the imposition of this mileage charge, the company was required to keep a mileage record of the buses using the road.
A few days ago the Middlevx County Council considered the recommendation of its highways committee not to enforce the charge and adopted it.