Bus Strikes Disrupt Christmas Travel
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AL THOUGH the one-day strike Z—Ithreatened by provincial busmen, who were asked to work on December 27 without a day off in compensation, was by no means complete, garages which refused to work made their impact on the Bank Holiday traffic arrangements.
Areas worst affected were South Wales, Bristol, Bath and Essex, but there were stoppages on a less widespread scale in other parts of the country. Employees of London Transport and the municipal undertakings, which had agreed to pay at the rate of time and a half and offered an additional day's holiday, did not sup-port the unofficial strike action.
Swansea, Port Talbot, Neath, Llanelly and Carmarthen had no buses and 7,000 platform staff from six companies were onstrike. Although municipal services operated in Cardiff, an official of the Transport and General Workers Union claimed that the strike was almost 100 per cent, effective in South Wales.
Western Welsh main depots at Cross Keys, Pontypool, Barry, Neath and Bridgend gave their support to the men, though other garages of the company in Monmouthshire, Brecon and West Wales worked normally. At Bristol, 2,500 men refused to work and 500 more supported them at Bath. Red and White men in Gloucestershire worked in spite of an earlier decision to strike.
Some half dozen Midland " Red " garages supported the strike but only at Wolverhampton was the stoppage complete. There were no services on Thames Valley routes in Berkshire. Oxford and King's Lynn were similarly affected. Three Maidstone and District garages struck, but nine others worked normally. Aldershot and District Traction reported partial response to the strike call.
SOUTH WALES FARES . UNCHANGED
IN a reserved decision the South Wales Traffic Commissioners have announced that they will not reduce the current fares of the South Wales Transport Co.. Ltd.. and Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd.
Last November, following an appeal decision by the Minister of Transport, the Commissioners reviewed the fares author ized to the two undertakings. Local authorities, whose appeal was upheld by the Minister, contended that the rate of return was too high.
In their decision, the Commissioners said: "The evidence does not indicate that the current fares are likely to result in unreasonable profits, and any reduction of the fares would not be in the public interest."
TRAFFIC SURVEY REPORT SOON
A REPORT on the precise form and PA scope of the proposed origin and destination survey to be carried out by the London County Council and the Ministry of Transport is expected in two
or three months' time. Mr. Richard Edmonds, chairman of the L.C.C. Town Planning Committee, said this last week.