Biggest Commercial Failure of a Lifetime"
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." THE scheme for the disposal of the I British Transport Commission's road haulage assets threatens to be, and will be, the biggest commercial failure we have known in our lifetime," said Lord Lucas in the House of Lords, last week, when the plan for the decentralization of British Railways was being discussed.
Lord Lucas -said that only 6,000 vehicles had been sold out of 20,000 offered, and no bids had been,made for large units, such as the parcels services. The loss on disposals might eventually cost the taxpayer £75m. He forecast renationalization after the next General Election.
Any scheme for railway reorganization, he said, was unreal unless it embraced plans for the integration of road transport. He thought that the railways ought to develop a keener commercial attitude.
Lord Glyn praised the work of those in British Road Services who had last year produced a revenue of £8m. in spite of " sniping " by politicians. "What a dispiriting thing it is for men who have built up a service „ . to find that they are operating a dying concern," he said.
Lord Hurcomb, former chairman of the British Transport Commission, said that he would be glad to see the decentralization scheme tried. -He thought that whilst bus and rail fares might be controlled by the same machinery, this matter could be left for a long time.
Lord Swinton, for the Government, assured the House that it was not the intention of the B.T.C. or the Minister of Transport that bus services should be subservient to rail.
Lord Lucas thought that if the Minister had sought to use his permissive power to compel the disposal of State interests in bus companies, he might have failed. Lord Lucas was glad this had not been tried.