Minister Admits He Rejected P.T.A. Case
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THE first official admission that the Public Transport Association's case for the use of the Suez fares procedure in emergencies caused by sudden increases in wages had been rejected, was made last week by Mr. Harold Watkinson, Minister of Transport. He was speaking at the P.T.A.'s annual dinner in London.
He agreed that bus -operators were in difficulties, but said he had not been able to agree to the P.T.A.'s proposal. Productivity was as important in transport as in manufacturing. Bus operators must cut costs and retuht something to the public in lower fares, at the same time affording employees good wages. Individual interests must be subordinated to the common good.
Mr. T. Robert Williams, chairman, congratulated Mr. Watkinson on -having extracted £250m. from the Treasury for use on road works in the next four years and having preserved the sum from cuts.
He crossed swords with the -Minister on fares procedure, and pointed out that the 30 m.p.h. limit on buses and coaches and existing restrictions on vehicle dimensions militated against productivity. He thought that buses 35 ft. long would be useful in some areas. He emphasized that public servicre vehicles -must not be prohibited from the centres of towns in an effort to speed up the flow of traffic.
SUEZ FUEL OFFEP4CES: HAULIER FINED E6
rINES totalling £615 2s. 9d. were 1 imposed on a Northumberland haulier, last week, for using tax-free tractor fuel in his vehicles during the Suez restrictions. John George Purves, Bluebell Farm, Belford, was said to have used 677 gallons of the fuel in lorries.
He was fined £171 14s. 3d. for each of three fuel offences, and £100 for not keeping proper fuel-oil records. Belford Magistrates ordered him to pay £100 a month, but agreed to extend the time limit if extreme hardship were caused.