Norfolk gets trial
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RANSPORT SECRETARY Norman Fowler has struck more blows to elp the private operator by designating North-west Norfolk as the rst trial area, and by removing Cardiff City Council's monopoly.
The long-awaited announcelent on the trial area was made I the House of Commons on uesday, and takes effect for a vo-year experimental period, :arting on April 1.
It means that any operator will a able to provide stage carriage ?rvices in an area including waffham and East Dereham, ad into (but not within} Norrich, without needing to apply ir a road service licence.
They will still have to meet Jality standards laid down by ie Department of Transport, -id satisfy the Traffic Commisoners that they are fit to aerate buses. Also, they will we to give Norfolk County auncil and district councils six eeks' advance notice of their tentions and publically adver3e services by placing press ad?rtisements two weeks in ad?rice.
The DTp has included E0.2m in orfolk's Transport Supplemeniry Grant to meet contingencies 3 a result of the trial area, and a Tp spokesman added that lore help could follow if the xisting bus service network colipsed by 1983.
A spokesman for the Confedration of British Road Pasmger Transport said it would fetch the trial area with interest, ut pointed out that the combiation of low population denty, high car ownership, and oor road networks could work gainst any new operators tryig to make a success of rural ?rvices. The removal of Cardiff's monopoly powers — took place with the consent of the City Council, according to Cardiff transport manager David Smith.
The move came as CK Coaches of Cardiff's applications to run hourly services between the city centre and two housing estates at Cyncoed and Llanrhymney were due to be heard by the South Wales Traffic Corn missioners on Thursday this week.
Mr Smith said that the Council is opposing the applications, but added that competition, if it comes from other operators, is nothing new to Cardiff.
As part of a policy of encouraging traffic to its services, Cardiff has agreed to extend its Sunday and weekday evening £1 family rover tickets to be available on Saturdays. They will be available from March 7 for six months.