Free buses urged by TGWU official
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• A strongly worded article in the September issue of the TGWU Record calls for subsidized public transport, in particular free buses, as a solution to the mounting traffic congestion problem.
Mr. Larry Smith, national officer of the Union's passenger group, in an article headed, "No Surrender to the Motorcar", says that it appears from a study of the most recent London Traffic Survey that a "complete capitulation to private transport is being engineered-.
"It is indeed ironic," writes Mr. Smith, "that London which has the best public transport system in the word, an integrated pattern that cost, millions of pounds to produce and maintain, is in danger of being destroyed by the invading private car,
"Subsidized public transport, in particular free buses, is an intelligent solution to this mounting problem. The country just cannot afford the unrestricted use on our congested streets of the ever-increasing level of private vehicles. The cost of providing free bus transport can be measured against the colossal amounts of capital required to provide the facilities for cars.
Mr. Smith does not favour road pricing as a solution. "The creation of privilege is unlikely to reduce the volume of traffic over time. However politically unpalatable, the final decision must he to restrict the use of private transport from the centres of our towns. Our cities must be. saved from the motor car—not for it."