ABC PROPOSALS POLITICAL MOVE
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"A POLITICAL move designed to reduce the railway deficit while ignoring industry's need for a flexible and economic transport system."
This was how Mr. G. Turvey, TRTA assistant secretary, described Mrs. Castle's quantitive licensing proposals at a luncheon meeting of the Association's metropolitan area at Eastham on Wednesday.
The Minister's philosophy was not based on the fact that BR was losing the freight battle because of inefficiency but on her feeling that trade and industry was prejudiced and ignorant of BR's rates and what it offered, he said. It followed that as people were so ill-informed they must be relieved of their responsibilities and freedom, the decision-making being passed to the State. Licensing Authorities would be able to refuse a licence if they thought a part was not "in the public interest". In the wrong hands this phrase was wide enough to upset even the most concrete case.
The uncertainty created by the proposal was already giving rise to operating and vehicle purchase problems and there was ample evidence of conflicting thinking within the Ministry.
The new technical regulations compelled operators to modernize fleets and invest considerable sums in vehicle improvement. But as they began to do this, another section of the Ministry threatened premature obsolescence without a penny compensation.