"Warning Shots" on Rural Transport
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From Our Political Correspondent
ALTHOUGH a Government announcement on rural transport is unlikely in the near future (Mr. Marples has almost certainly made up his own mind about the Jack Report's recommendations, but to get a Cabinet decision is a different matter), pressure on this issue is steadily mounting.
Latest moves in Parliament include a motion by a group of Conservatives headed by Mr. Rupert Speir, with slight Labour support, which accepts the need to close unremunerative branch railway lines, but considers that some form of public rural transport must be maintained.
They therefore urge the Government to assist rural bus services in any way possible, and suggest that a remission of fuel tax on predominently rural services would do the trick. This is not likely to be favoured by the Chancellor, who is in any case faced with persistent demands to cut the fuel tax generally in this year's Budget.
An amendment by six Labour M.P.s, headed by Mr. Cledwyn Hughes (Anglesey), deplores the "indiscriminate closure" of branch railway lines, and urges the integration of national transport services with particular emphasis on adequate rural facilities.
This will come up against the wrath of Mr. Marples and the Conservative Party as a whole, since it attacks the funda• mentals of the Transport Bill, but these moves serve to show that concern about rural transport is not limited to one party and warns the Transport Minister that a mixed volley of shots will be fired his way the next time the matter is raised.
Appeals Partially Succeed
A PPEALS to the Minister of Transport
by the B.T.C., and Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., against a decision by the Eastern Traffic Commissioners (who granted a road service licence to Edward Kirby, trading as Kirby's Coaches, in respect of a group of excursions and tours starting from Rayleigh, Essex), were partially successful, the Minister made known last week in a written decision.
In this the Minister accepts the broad conclusion reached by the Commissioners and his Inspector that Mr. Kirby had "adequately demonstrated" a general demand for the tours, particularly so for Saturdays when neither of the appellants provided facilities.
Regarding' the excursions to Clacton and Whipsnade, however, the Minister considered that as comparatively adequate facilities existed in the case of the former. and the demand was "extremely small" in the latter case, these excursions should be restricted to operations on Saturdays and Sundays only.
The Minister dismissed Eastern National's appeal concerning Felixstowe.