Private Buses to Run for L.T.B.
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FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT
ONDON TRANSPORT is to place out La to contract to private operators this summer special bus services for big sporting events and sightseeing tours, because its busmen have refused to man such services while there are not enough crews to operate summer schedules. Services likely to be included are those to the Derby at Epsom, to Wimbledon for the tennis fortnight and to Wembley for the F.A. Cup Final and other big sporting events.
When the L.T.B. announced last month that it would postpone the introduction of summer schedules because of shortage of staff. a special delegate conference of busmen took the view that if there were not enough crews to man the extra buses needed for these, largely week-end, services, then there were not sufficient men to man the extras for special events.
In fact, the Central Bus Committee professed to be very surprised at what they regard as the illogical attitude of London Transport. Committee members told the Board that they could not agree to run such services, because in their view priority should be given to regular passen gets using buses on Mondays to Fridays.
It was when they received these views that London Transport informed the committee that it was seeking the co-operation of private firms in running these services, which are regarded as a public service.
The announcement was due to be discussed by the busmen's leaders this week. While private coach firms have been called in to help out in the past—the last time while work on the new Victoria tube line necessitated special bus services— there might be objections to this latest move. For one thing, unofficial leaders pointed out, London Transport has a "closed shop" agreement with the Transport and General Workers' Union. Union officials might be instructed to make sure that the drivers of contracting firms were all members of the union and received wages and conditions no less favourable than those of London busmen.
Meanwhile the final report of the Committee of Inquiry into the pay and conditions of London busmen, which has been meeting under the chairmanship of Prof. Phelps Brown, is now expected to be ready within a week or so.