Free fares on the way
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• Labour's sweeping victories in last week's local government elections bring the concept of free fares in Britain's largest cities a step closer. A socialistcontrolled Greater London council, for instance, is pledged to a policy of "low fares with the long-term aim of free fares".
Of course, political pre-election pledges are liable to be somewhat amended when they are put into practice, but even so last week's vote makes subsidies, at least, a more realistic proposit on. In most pa,-..s of the country Tory u rididates pluged better roads while their opponents plumped for a strength e fled and improved public transport systerr. .
However, some schemes for subsidizing bus services rely on central Government support F. ) in many cases the ultimate policy chc ce still lies within the power of Westrnit ster.
With Labour in con rol of each of the six new Metropolitan counties there is obviously going to t e a shift in the political emphasis f many of the Passenger Transport E ecutives.
What the politici Ins will probably choose to ignore is that most experts — including mos of those who attended a recent T .ansport and Road Research Labora ory conference (reported in last we I's CM) — agree that free fares are not really practicable.