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MIT—ready for action with NW
Page 19
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• Merthyr Tydfil Transport, which is being bought from the borough council by two local independent operators, says it can beat off the challenge from National Welsh, which entered MTT's home territory 10 days ago (5 June).
MTT managing director Gareth Morgan claims that National Welsh tried to poach all his drivers in order to put MTT out of business. "We continued to trade," he says. "National then immediately registered on all our routes. So far, we are more than pleased with our performance. I believe we can hold our own and see off the challenge."
A consortium of four firms was set up to buy MTT, but Parfitts Motor Services and Cyril Evans have dropped out, leaving Evans Coaches of New Tredegar and Shamrock Private Hire Services to complete the deal. A deposit has already been paid and the sale should go through on 7 July, "MTT is currently carrying about 75% of passengers in Merthyr, which is very encouraging," says Ian Evans, a director of the consortium. "However, it is
still losing somewhere between 2250,000 and £500,000 a year and that cannot continue. We will have to make changes and tighten up on operations. Job losses cannot be ruled out, but that is a last resort."
Morgan says: "I'm glad that the future of mrr has been secured and urn confident that we can compete effectively." Evans promises that MTT will not be split up: "It will be run as one unit. Services will be maintained wherever possible."
Evans is trying to head off a potential bus war with National Welsh by emphasising the need for safety. So far, so good, according to Morgan who says: "There has been a sharp competitive edge to operations since National Welsh appeared but things have been conducted professionally."
The situation in Merthyr seems to be a classic confrontation between traditional single-deckers and small Bustler vehicles. National Welsh has just bought 30 new Bustlers for £600,000. It claims it has scored an important victory with the decision to allow its vehicles into the local bus station.