Buses White Paper worry
Page 24
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ONE of the proposals in the White Paper on buses which is not likely to arouse much excitement, but may be very dangerous if carried out, is the proposal to replace the Traffic Commissioners by Licensing Authorities and to transfer appeals from the Minister to the Transport Tribunal.
When the Bill, which became the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, was first discussed, the haulage associations pressed for an Appeal Tribunal because they felt that an independent body uninfluenced by ministerial policy was desirable.
The government accepted this view but before long we had reason to reget it. I say 'we', because in the Thirties I created a nationwide parcels network and soon found myself hampered by the case law which the tribunal, having judicial status, created.
When the Appeals Tribunal was merged under the 1947 Act with the Railway Rates Tribunal as the Transport Tribunal, the tendency to manacle the industry was even worse than in pre-war days.
Since appeals are most likely to arise over questions of maintenance, it seems to me desirable that they should be dealt with by a body of persons with transport experience and not by lawyers.
CHAS S. DUNBAR Malvern, Worcestershire.