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To-ordination Must be Taken Much Further'

1st January 1965, Page 25
1st January 1965
Page 25
Page 25, 1st January 1965 — To-ordination Must be Taken Much Further'
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

DR. BEECHING is not to be Britain's transport overlord—in fact there might not be one, apart from the Transport Minister himself. This possibility was mentioned by Mr. .Fraser, when he told the Commons last week that Dr. Beeching will not be producing the report on transport co-ordination for which many had tipped him.

He had been considering the best use which could be made of Dr. Beeching's experience, said the Minister, but since it was the Railway Board Chairman's desire to return to I.C.I. by the middle of next year, he had come to the conclusion that it would not be practicable for him to carry out the sort of study the Government wanted, in the Way in which they thought it should be done, during the time which he could devote to it.

Mr. Fraser added that this was not the kind of •study he should want to give to a large representative committee to work on. • Mr. Charles Longbottorn (Tory, York) pointed out to the Minister that very real work of co-ordination was being undertaken between the Road Haulage Association and the British Railways Board on wayleaves. and asked him to bear in mind; when drawing up the committee's Membership, that over the past 12 months considerable efforts and results had been achieved: • "

lie was aware of-the co-ordination that had gone on so far, replied Mr. Fraser, but co-ordination of transport had to be taken very muchfurther.

From Mr. Charles Doughty (Tory. Surrey East) came a request that Mr. Fraser should avoid placing an obligation on the committee to subsidize rail by road transport. The costs should be kept separate, and there was also a duly to see that the railways lost as little money as possible, said Mr. Doughty.

Mr. Patrick lenkin (Tory. Wanstead and Woodford) noted that the whole subject of integration had been very much covered by the Geddes Committee, and urged that its report should be expedited, He asked the Minister to undertake that the report would be published, and that he would not take any precipitate action until the Committee had reported.

In undertaking this study it would be very necessary to take account of what the Geddes Committee recommended, agreed Mr. Fraser. But it covered a very small part of the business of transport co-ordination. The study had to begin before they got the Geddes report.

"1 hope to have advice from Lord Geddes in the study which we will undertake. He will expect his findings to be taken into account, and 1 should have thought that I would discharge my duty the better by having discussions with Lord Geddes as the study proceeds."


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