IN YOUR OPINION
Page 79
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otorway Breakdowns
FE note with interest an item in your issue of May 8 referring to motorway breakdowns. From this article Tators may be led to understand that they can now be in direct contact with their drivers who may be in iculties on the motorways.
is far as M1 is concerned the arrangement mentioned been in operation since the inauguration of the motorin November, 1959. Without a complete change of telephone system it is still not possible for a driver be put into contact with his employer from the emercy telephone boxes.
'he driver in difficulties can speak only to the police cer in charge at a contact point. The first question ed is if the driver has any preference for a particular age to render assistance. If he hasn't the police officer uld select the nearest garage which he considers has ilities capable of rendering the necessary service. If, vever, the driver asks the police officer to contact his ployer this is done by transfer charge telephone call I it is left to the employer to give his own instructions. ill that is required of him is that he should notify the ice control of the arrangements he makes in order that y can pass them on to the driver, who must remain by telephone box, whatever the weather, awaiting any h message.
igain as far as M1 is concerned, there are not now, have there ever been, any repairers officially appointed salvage vehicles which break-down on the motorway. operators of service areas are no more appointed than other repairer who has the necessary facilities to offer. )perators of service areas must, at all times, keep the
necessary services available to the general motoring public, but if, for any reason a motorist or transport operator does not wish to avail himself of a particular service then he has perfect freedom of choice. This has always been the position and we trust it will remain.
Rugby. L. CHANDLER, A.I.R.T.E.,
Technical Director, Blue Boar (Motorways) Ltd.
We feel that our news item, based on information supplied by the R.H.A., made it clear that it is the police official who is to be asked to contact the employer, not the driver himself. —ED.] T.H.C. Capital Debt IT is sometimes suggested that the commencing capital debt of the Transport Holding Company and the interest payable thereon are relevant to the profit targets of their subsidiary bus companies. This is not so, for the following reasons:—
(a) the amount of the commencing capital debt of the Transport Holding Company is merely a redistribution of the capital liabilities of the British Transport Commission over the five successor bodies; (b) the shareholdings of the British Transport Commission in the Tilling Bus Companies have been transferred over to the Transport Holding Company at their previous book values. There is thus no change at all in the situation except a change in the ownership of the shares:
(c) the commencing capital debt of the Transport Holding Company is not apportioned to particular companies in which
the Transport Holding Company has shareholdings. The position is that the Transport Holding Company has a wide variety of assets, including shareholdings in the Tilling Bus Companies, on one side of the balance sheet; and on the other side has the capital debt to the Minister, other capital liabilities, current liabilities and reserves; (d) the return on capital of the bus companies cannot properly be related in any way to the interest obligations of the Transport Holding Company. The responsibility, of the bus company is to earn a commercial rate of return on the capital employed, on the same lines as other bus companies and as in the past.
London, N.W.1. , G. W. QUICK SMITH,
Chief Secretary, Transport Holding Company,