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The next decade
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THERE CAN be no doubt that 1969 has been a momentous year for Britain's road passenger transport industry—one which will go down in history as a milestone in its development. Under terms laid down in the Transport Act 1968 the National Bus .Company and the Scottish Transport Group were vested on January 1. the former incorporating the major non-municipal undertakings in England and Wales.
Also under the Act the first four Passenger Transport Authorities were established in England on April 1, and the Passenger Transport Executives to operate the public transport undertakings vested in the PTAs have been formally set up. The actual vesting in the PTEs of the municipal undertakings inside three of the Passenger Transport Areas took place this autumn, and those to come under the fourth Executive lTyneside), will be vested on January 1 1970.
The structure, objects, duties and operation of the Scottish Transport Group were studied in depth in CM November 7, and the aim of this feature is to look at the structure and operation of the NBC in England and Wales, and to describe the latest developments in the four PTAs.
A description of the establishment of the NBC appeared in CM January 3. together with a list of all the undertakings vested in it. Some of the duties and powers of the NBC were also described—these are outlined in Sections 24 and 26 of the Transport Act 1968, Basically, the National Bus Company became responsible for the operation Of the former Tilling undertakings controlled by the Transport Holding Company from its formation in 1963 (10,000 buses and coaches) and the British Electric Traction Company's bus operating subsidiaries, acquired by the THC in November, 1967 (9,700 buses and coaches).
Part-time board
The top management board of the NBC consists of seven people appointed by the Minister of Transport, and all part-time members apart from the chief executive. They are Mr. A. N. Todd (chairman) who has been a full-time member of the Central Electricity Generating Board since 1965, Mr. T. W. H. Gailey (chief executive), Aid. W. Alker (chairman, Bury transport committee), Mr. A. P. de Boer (vice-chairman, British Road Federation), Sir William Hart (clerk to the GLCI, Mr. W. Morison Little (chief executive, STG), and Mr. J. Lancaster.
Beneath this board is an executive board, responsible for the day-to-day management of the NBC and its subsidiaries. The members are: T. W. H. Galley (chairman), B. Griffiths lcfeputy chairman), G. Brook, D. S. Deacon. G. McKay. G. M. Newberry. J. Niblock. I. R. Patey, F. K. Pointon (chairman of the Public Road Transport Association), J. T. E. Robinson, S. J. B. Skyrme and C. R.. Buckley.
The headquarters of the NBC is a new office block (25 New Street Square. EC4) in Central London. which also houses the following departments: architect's: finance; insurance: planning and development; Press and public relations: publicity; purchasing; rating: secretariat; technical services; and training. Mr. E. G. Hardy recently succeeded Mr. S. C. Vince (formerly with BET) as chief engineer, although Mr. Vince stays on in an advisory capacity.
Although most of the subsidiary companies retain their identity, the country has been divided into 10 regions, each with a chairman common to companies within that region. Some grouping of companies with a common general manager has also taken place (for example Brighton Hove and District is grouped with Southdown Motor Services Ltd., ex Tilling and BET companies respectively), although each company retains its identity.
Operating regions
The 10 main geographical regions into which England and Wales has been divided. together with the respective ch.airmen, the individual companies in each region, and the approximate fleet sizes are as follows:
North East, Mr. G. M. Newberry.
United Automobile, Darlington. 1.097 1328 double-deck. 616 single-deck, 153 coaches.). Northern General. Gateshead, with Gateshead and District. Sunderland District. Tynemouth. Tyneside, Wakefields (combined fleets): 857 (435 did., 366 aid.. 56 coachesl.
Yorkshire, Mr. I. R. Patey.
East Yorkshire. Hull: 235 1138 did., 77 ed.. 20 coaches). West Riding, Wakefield: 401 1270 did., 104 &rd.. 27 coaches). West Yorkshire. Harrogate: 446 1185 d/d.. 261 sib.). Yorkshire Traction. Barnsley: 401 1163 did.. 171 std., 67 coachesl. Yorkshire Woollen. Dewsbury: 234 1109 did.. 82 srri. 43 coaches). Hebble. Halifax. lincorporated with Yorkshire Woollen): 78 118 did.. 25 did.. 35 coaches). Also included in the Yorkshire region is Sheffield United Tours (102 coaches), chairman Mr. F. K. Pointer!, The Mexberough and Swinton undertaking has bean absorbed by Yorkshire Traction.
North West, Mr. G. Brook.
Crosville, Chester: 1,090 (544 did.. 391 aid., 155 coaches). Cumberland. Whitehaven: 190 197 d/d., 79 .sid.. 14 coaches). North Western. Stockport: 552 1188 d/d.. 274 sid.. 90 coaches). Ribble, Preston. (including Standerwick). 1.187 (520 did.. 384 aid., 36 did coaches, 247 did. coaches).
West Midland, Mr. F. K. Pointon.
Midland Red. Birmingham: 1,717 (808 did.. 770 sid., 139 coaches). Potteries. Stoke-on.Trent: 500 1206 did., 265 ski.. 29 coaches). Stratford Blue, Stratford-uponAvon: 43 123 did., 15 aid., five coaches). East Midland. Chesterfield: 229 178 did., 139 std.. 12 coaches). Lincolnshire. Lincoln: 381 (136 did.. 230 aid,, 15 coaches). Midland General. Hea nor 'including Mansfield. and Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire): 331 (231 d/d.. 78 aid., 22 coaches). Trent. Derby: 372 1181 did., 146 sjcl.. 45 coaches'.
Eastern, Mr. G. McKay.
Eastern Counties, Norwich: 749 (358 did., 317 aid.. 74 coaches). Eastern National. Chelmsford. 'including Tillings): 647 1421 d/d., 138 aid_ 88 coaches). United Counties. Northampton: 489 1327 did.. 152 did., 10 coaches). South Wales, Mr. Bernard Griffiths.
Red and White. Chepstow: 366 172 did.. 234 sid., 60 coaches). South Wales. Swansea: 319 1203 did.. 94 s/d., 22 coaches/. Neath and Cardiff (incorporated with South Wales): 29 coaches. Thomas Bros.. Port Talbot. 'incorporated with South Wales): 51 (two d/d., 42 aid.. seven coachesl. United Welsh, Swansea: 157 (84 did.. 56 &d., 17 coaches!. Western Welsh. Cardiff: 563 (176 did.. 275 aid.. 58 sid. dual-purpose, 54 coaches). Rhondda Transport. Porth. (incorporated with Western Welsh): 167 (96 did., 65 sib.. six coaches).
South West, Mr. J. T. E. Robinson.
Bristol Omnibus. Bristol, with Bath Electric Tramways. Bath Tramways Motor Co., Cheltenham District Traction. (combined fleets): 1.209 1759 did.. 397 s./d.. 52 coaches, 1 minibus). Devon General, Torquay: 276 (139 d/d., 95 s/d., 42 coaches). Greenslades Tours. Exeter: 75 coaches. Southern National, Exeter. (Incorporated with Westerr National, joint owners Royal Blue Coach Services): 362 199 did., 152 aid.. 112 coaches). Western National, Exeter 595 1262 did.. 195 aid.. 138 coaches).
Also included in the South West region is Black anc White Motorways, now based on Bristol instead ce Cheffenh am, 1112 coaches'.
South, Mr. D. S. Deacon.
Aldershot and District. Aldershot: 291 (138 did., 125 sic!. 28 coaches). Hants and Dorset, Bournemouth: 489 (33E d/d.. 110 aid.. 43 coaches). Wilts and Dorset (incorporatec with Hants end Dorset): 282 (144 did.. 98 did., 40 coaches) Shamrock and Rambler (including Charlie's Cars anc incorporated with Hants and Dorset): 61 coaches. City of Oxford. Oxford: 218 1127 did.. 89 sid., two coaches). Southern Vectis, Newport. Isle of Wight: 180 1116 did.. 31 s/d.. 33 coaches). Thames Valley. Reading. with South Midland. Reading. Icombined fleets): 373 (235 did.. 90 s/d.. 48 coaches).
Also included in the South region is Samuelson New Transport. London (18 coaches). chairman Mr. T. W. H.
South East, Mr. S. J. B. Skyrme.
Brighton Hove and District. Hove. (incorporated with Southdown): 1501140 did.. 10 s/d.). East Kent. Canterbury: 597 1244 did.. 142 s/d.. 211 coaches). Maidstone and District, Maidstone: 770 1286 did.. 289s/d.. 195 coaches). Southdown. Brighton: 850 1320 did.. 246 aid. 284 coaches). A. Timpson. London: 87 coaches.
Two important undertakings not listed above are London Coastal Coaches Ltd., chairman Mr. T. W. H. Gailey., which is responsible for the main London coach terminal, Victoria Coach Station, and Associated Motorways, of Cheltenham. The latter company is responsible for an extensive network of coach routes operated jointly by Black and White, Midland Red, United Counties, Eastern Counties, Red and White, Royal Blue, Bristol Omnibus. Lincolnshire and Crosville.
Manufacturing subsidiaries
In addition to the operating subsidiaries. the National Bus Company has 50 per cent holdings in the important manufacturing companies of Bristol Commercial Vehicles Ltd.. and Eastern Coach Works Ltd.. of Lowestoft, building bus chassis and bodies respectively. The balance of 50 per cent is held by the British Leyland Motor Corporation. which is now responsible for the management of the two companies.
NBC formerly had a 75 per cent shareholding in the two companies, but under an agreement reached with BLMC in July to start a joint bus-building venture in Cumberland (CM July 18), BLMC's 25 per cent holding in the above companies was increased to 50 per cent. The Cumberland venture is for the construction of completely integral singledeckers of "advanced design" under the name Leyland National in a new factory in Workington, British Leyland will also be responsible for the management of Leyland National.
Chairman of all these manufacturing companies is Mr. R. Ellis, managing director of BLMC's truck and bus division. while NBC's chief executive, Mr. T. W. H. Gailey, is among the New Street Square executive board members. It is British Leyland's intention to concentrate the construction of doubledeckers at Bristol and Lowestoft, although all the companies will have to sell competitively on the open market.
Similarly. NBC operating companies will be free to purchase vehicles from the open market, although a certain degree of "control" from the executive's engineering committee can be expected. Meanwhile, ex-Tilling companies are continuing the habit of buying Bristol/ECW combinations for both single The NBC sub-division of England and Wales into 10 regions is indicated on this map, which shows the approximate boundaries of each region. Also shown is the area around London to be served by NBC's important subsidiary, London Country Bus Services Ltd., and the location of the first four PTAs, with more detailed maps for each area.
and double-deck buses while ex-BET companies are continuing to buy single-deckers of BET styling.
Co-ordination
One notable improvement since the formation of the NBC has been the improved co-ordination between individual companies and a cessation of haggling about company boundaries. Such rationalization, which the Transport Act has specifically called for, had actually begun in South Wales even before BET had sold out its bus interests.
This rationalization has been stepped-up, and extended to other parts of the country. The latest step, just announced at the time of writing, is the proposed transfer, on January 1, of services in the Trowbridge and Chippenham areas from Western National to Bristol Omnibus operation. Such rationalization has to be done in light of NBC's policy to retain, so far as is practicable, the traditional identity of individual companies.
An example of this comes, again, from South Wales, where South Wales and Thomas Bros. buses, both ex-BET companies, are painted in the same red and cream livery as United Welsh (ex-Tilling) buses. Each company's name remains on the respective buses, though a common style is employed.
Co-ordination with adjacent municipally operated bus services is also being reviewed. and in and around towns where such coordination has been operated for many years under old agreements, these are being revised. In the case of at least two such agreements (Luton and Exeter) the municipal councils have decided to sell their buses to the NBC (CM November 14).
On the other hand. Leicester City Transport is attempting to acquire the whole of the east division of Midland Red's undertaking, with, it is understood, the agreement of the NBC. Exploratory talks are taking place between the city council and NBC representatives.
London Country
Youngest of the NBC companies is London Country Bus Services Ltd., formed to take over the Country (green) buses and Green Line coach services of London Transport when the Central (red) buses of LTB pass to the Greater London Council on January 1. As described in CM last week, the new undertaking—Mr. Richard Marsh's -demented mint with the hole in the middle"—will inherit a fleet of 1.300 buses and coaches. Its first chairman will be Mr. T. W. H. Gailey.
Managing director of this subsidiary, second only in size to Midland Red among NBC operating companies, will be Mr. C. R. Buckley. Mr. G. Fernyhough. at present operating manager, London Transport country buses and coaches, will be the first general manager. and the company will be based at Bell Street, Reigate. A new bus overhaul works will have to be built, although no site has been chosen at the time of writing.
The vehicles will carry the non-ambitious fleet name "'London Country" and the present green will be retained. To achieve a younger fleet, London Country is already committed to the purchase of 138 AEC Swift 33ft o-m-o single-deckers. 48 being outstanding from current LTB orders and the balance of 90 being MCW-bodied buses also ordered by LTB, and due for delivery from July 1970 onwards. In 1971 90 single-deck Green Line coaches and 90 maximum capacity doubledeck buses will be bought. The aim is to achieve 100 per cent one-man operation as soon as possible.
The troubled PTAs
One of the most contentious parts of the Transport Act was the decision to set up Passenger Transport Authorities in the larger conurbations. and four areas were selected for pilot schemes. These are, of course. Merseyside. SELNEC (Greater Manchester), West Midlands and Tyneside. The establishment. representation, powers. duties and so on of the PTAs and the Executives to be established to operate them were fully described in CM February 28, March 14 and March 28. and are laid down in Part 2 of the Act.
The members of the Authorities are mostly democratically elected representatives of the local councils inside the Passenger Transport Areas, although two or three members are appointed by the Minister of Transport. In three PTAs. the chairman of the Authority came from the council operating the largest municipal bus system in the conurbation— indeed, the largest city inside the conurbation.
A notable exception, however, was Tyneside, where the Labour majority elected as chairman a Ministry nominee who was not on the local city council, which caused a storm of protest. When the appointment of directorsgeneral began. there was surprise in Greater Manchester about the type of qualifications of the successful candidate. Similarly, Tyneside's appointment also led to raised eyebrows. First off the mark was the West Midlands PTE. but this has already run into industrial trouble and experienced strikes by busmen during its very first weeks after vesting day. Only Merseyside seems to have got off to a smooth start.
The above dissension is largely due to the fact that no one apart from politicians wanted the autonomous Executives, taking over automatically the assets of the municipal undertakings inside the PTA boundaries, foisted upon them. The authorities which have lost control of their own undertakings are doing their best to live with, and make a go of the PTEs they have had established above them. To achieve the intended aims of the PTAs and their Executives is a difficult task, when it is revealed, for example, that SELNEC is starting off C11-m in the red!
Considerable interest has been shown in the establishment of the PTEs, and to obtain the latest possible information CM Contacted all four Executives last month. The constitution of the PTEs and progress made in their establishment, as it stood in the middle of November, is as follows:
Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive: 24 Hatton Garden. Liverpool, L3 2AN. Phone: 051-236 7411. Chairman of the Authority: Aid. H. Macdonald Steward, Leader of the Liverpool City Council.
Composition of the Executive: Director-general A. Burrows.
Director of operations F. S. Brimelow.
Director of planning and development P. I. A. Welding. Director of finance and administration J. L. Brooke. Executive formally constituted on November 1. Vesting date of Executive—December 1.
Municipal bus undertakings vested—Liverpool. Birkenhead, and Wallasey.
Total of buses handed over-1.400.
There has not. as yet, been any sub-division of the PTA intc different areas.
Authority established April 1, first formal meeting April 25 A. Burrows was g.m., Liverpool City Transport. F. S Brimelow. g.m. Birkenhead. and P. I. A. Welding was with London Transport.