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Fight Against Area Schemes

16th December 1949
Page 32
Page 33
Page 32, 16th December 1949 — Fight Against Area Schemes
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

is Becoming Nation Wide

Councils All Over the Country Protest Against Bus Nationalization

0pposmoN to the proposals for the nationalization of road -`—'passenger services is becoming nation-wide. Objections to the schemes proposed for the northern and eastern areas are being made throughout the country, and the threat to all independent and municipal undertakings is beginning to be clearly understood.

In the House of Commons, last Friday, Mr. James Callaghan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, refused to discuss a motion brought forward by Mr. Erroll that the proposed area schemes should not be proceeded with in their present form. The motion was ruled out of order by the Deputy Speaker after some discussion.

.1■111■■•••■••••■•111.1111., After consultations between the town clerk and Coun. H. F. Outen, chairman of the transport committee, Luton Town Council has objected to the British Transport Commission and the Road. Passenger Executive against the proposals for the Eastern Area. Conn. Outen pointed out that control of the local undertaking would be from a long way off, and that near perfection had already been achieved in Luton by co-ordination of services with the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd.

Nationalization Anticipated '

Rumblings of nationalization had been heard for a long time, said Court. Outen, and the co-ordination arrangements had been designed to anticipate events. The Eastern Area was a vast one, and would prove .tremendously difficult to operate.

Buckinghamshire County Council, discussing the scheme for the area at a recent meeting, based its objections on similar grounds. No case could be made to justify it, it was suggested, and the proposals seemed likely to interfere with passenger transport in country districts largely dependent on small operators. The council's school transport arrangements would be seriously upset, and, in any event, the boundary proposed for the area was illogical and followed no boundaries recognized for other purposes.

Yarmouth Town Council was also asked recently to express the view that local control and management of the town's passenger transport were essential to the development of the borough. This resolution was put forward to the council by the transport committee, which has been considering the implications of the area scheme.

Plymouth Speaks Out

Plymouth Transport Committee has indicated to the south-west area committee of the Municipal Passenger Transport Assoc:dation that in its opinion the interests of the travelling public could he best served by the development of an efficiently administered natural traffic area, with Plymouth as the focal point. Local control being essential to the development of a locality, it was claimed that Plymouth should become .the regional traffic centre, retaining control, with the necessary plenary powers. Under the proposed schemes for the northern and eastern areas, district and sub-district committees would have no plenary powers, it was stated.

Bath City Council has been asked by the finance committee to support the views of the Association of Municipal Corporations, and to insist on local ownership and control of local passenger transport.

Newcastle and Gateshead Chamber of Commerce has unanimously decided to oppose the transfer of passenger transport to the B.T.C. A resolution moved by Aid. R. Mould Graham expressed the determination of the Chamber of Commerce to resist any proposal involving confiscation of valuable municipal assets and the cornplcie abolition of local control over fares, provision of services, finance and administration of services so essential to the welfare and convenience of the community.

Minister's Hint Aid. Graham said that the Minister of Transport had hinted that Edinburgh and Glasgow would be allowed to own and operate their own undertakings, and he could see no reason why tindertakings in the northern area should be taken over.

At Sheffield, the North-eastern Area Council of the National Chamber of .Trade came to a unanimous decision to protest against the nationalization proposals. The chairman of the meeting said that the railways, standing to lose £20,000,000 this year, viewed the municipal transport enterprises .as a means for laying their hands on some ready money to balance the books. Increased fares would result from nationalization of bus services.

In London, last week, Mr. Philip Fothergill, president-elect of the Liberal Party, told a meeting of Liberal workers that the integration of the Nation's transport services was not an end in itself. The first consideration was the interests of the public. Cheap transport, he said, was essential to industry.

London Prototype

In Westminster, on Friday. Mr. Erroll raised the question of area schemes, stating that it seemed highly desirable that they should not proceed further in their present form. He referred to the impression which seemed to be growing in the Minister of Transport's mind that the prototype, represented by passenger transport in the London area, should be a model for area schemes to be put forward in various parts of the country.

He pointed out that in 1929, Mr. Herbert Morrison had written a pamphlet in which he stated that the co-ordination of London passenger transport presupposed a complete monopoly in traffic undertakings which the travelling public was not willing to face. He said that the municipal incentive to maintain low fares would be lacking.

Mr. Erroll pointed out that the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board had resulted . in an expensive form of transport which did not pay, and that such amalgamations were not to be recommended in other parts of the country.

Under the Transport Act, 1947, the Commission was given powers to prepare area schemes, As no attempt was made to consult the kical authorities concerned in the preparation of the schemes for East and North, great hostility has been created.

Mr. James Callaghan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, said that Mr. Erroll's proposals entailed legislation and that the adjournment was not the time to introduce the matter.

The Deputy Speaker rujed Mr. Erroll out of order.

A "SIX" FOR THE NUBIAN

I T is understood that the Thornycroft

Nubian, described in a road-test report on pages 544-547 of this issue, will be available shortly with a sixcylindered oil engine, The present alternative power unit is -a fourcylindered compression-ignition engine.

MR. GLEESON E. ROBINSON TO RETURN? .

WE understand that Mr. Gleeson E. Robinson, C.B., M.C., LL.D.,formerly chairman of the Appeal Tribunal, who left Britain to settle in South Africa, has not found everything there to his liking. Consequently, he has decided to _make Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, his place of retirement.

MORE LORRIES IN EUROPE

A SURVEY prepared by 0.E.E.C. 4-1 shows that the number of lorries available in Western Europe has increased by 13.2 per cent. in 1948-49. A further rise of 6 per cent. is expected in 1949-50. There are also more cars.


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