Operating Aspects of
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Passenger Transport
BENEFITS OF ASSOCIATION STRONGLY EVIDENT IN SOUTH WALES
The Motor Omnibus Proprietors Association Now Represents 95 per cent. of Vehicles and Operators in South Wales
annual general meeting and dinner of the Motor Omnibus Proprietors Association was held at Cardiff on November 26th. Mr. Howell M. Davis, of the Imperial Motor Co., Abercynon, was re-elected chairman for the fourth year, Mr. W. E. Gough, of Gough Welsh Motorways, Ltd., Mountain Ash, a prominent member of the executive committee, being elected vice-chairman. The members of the 1932 executive committee are as follow :—Messrs. Thomas White (Barry), Guy Bown (Red and White Motor Services, Ltd., Chepstow), E. V. Ralph (Abertillery), Val, Jones (Skewen), George Taylor (Swansea), S. Bassett (Gorseinon), Col. R. G. Llewellyn (Swansea), Angus James (Ammanford), T. T. John (Gorseinon).
The previous annual meeting was referred to in our issue for December 9th, 1930. At that time the association represented 1,800 motorbuses owned by 90 per cent, of the operators in the South Wales area. The numbers now are respectively 2,000 vehicles and 95 per cent. The number of companies that are members has increased from 72 to 86. In addition, ,there are 47 members to the new coach section, which has been started in the past few months. No municipal or railwayowned concerns are admitted as members. The association makes a special feature of co-operative purchase for the benefit of members, and its petrol contract, placed with Russian Oil.Products,
C42 Ltd., is for approximately 5,000,000 gallops of petrol per annum. The members between them use about 140,000 gallons of oil yearly, this being purchased from five supplying companies. The questions of co-operative purchase of tyres and insurance are to be tackled.
In the speeches which followed the dinner ample evidence was available of the remarkably good effect that association has had for the South Wales operators. The toast of "The Association" was proposed by Mr. Trevor Morgan, a barrister of Cardiff. In replying, Mr. Clifford Thomas, the secretary, who has his office at Bristol House, Argoed, said that members of the association employing about 3,000 persons had to meet in taxation annually a total exceeding i300,000,' this including £166,000 in petrol tax, £15,000 in Road Traffic Act licences, etc., £120,000 in Road Fund licences. Income tax had to be paid.
Mr. Thomas explained that a Joint Conciliation Board, under section 93 of the Road Traffic Act, has been set up during the year, so as to preserve a satisfactory relationship with employees' organizations. 'He referred to the association being affiliated to the Motor Hirers and Coach Services Association, Ltd., and paid a warm tribute to the serious work which, the latter body is doing and to the help which it renders. Colonel R. G. Llewellyn, of Swansea, proposed the toast of " The Visitors," which was responded to by Councillor C. H. McCale, deputy Lord Mayor of Cardiff, and by Mr. J. T. Richards, previously Lord Mayor of Cardiff, as well as by Mr. Trevor M. Williams, Cardiff 'representative of the Cornhill Insurance Co., Ltd. Councillor McCale spoke of the urgent need for producing a satisfactory oil fuel from British coal. The toast of "The Chairman" was proposed by Mr. Thomas White, of Barry.
Some impression of the advantages which the members of this association get from joining together is gained from figures of the petrol contract, etc., which are given above, but in reality the work of this body—like that of the Motet. Hirers and Coach Services Association, Ltd.—is not apparent to everybody. An indication of its value, however, can be given by stating that, in the South Wales Traffic Area, not a single appeal has been made to the Ministry against a decision of the Commissioners. This state of affairs is undoubtedly due, in a large measure, to the understanding between members and the Commissioners that is made possible by the aSsocia,.
tion's efforts. In the speeches many kindly references were made to Mr. A. T. James, the chairman of the South Wales Commissioners.