B.E.T. and B.T.C. Allied
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in Big Publicity Scheme AN example.of co-operation between the State and private enterprise will . shortly be seen by the public when British and foreign travel agents receive brochures produced jointly by the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd., and the Tilling Group. These 'brochures are the result of top-level talks held early last year, when it was agreed that something was needed to stimulate interest in coachand bus travel.
Executives from the two groups appointed a committee which has met several times during the past year to discuss methods of encouraging traffic. The B.E.T. representatives were Mr. E. L. Taylor and Mr. R. G. James, whilst Mr. C. H. Preece and Mr. H. D. Muirhead represented the Tilling Group.
They have now decided on an ingeniously folded full-colour brochure which will he sent to agents irt the autumn ready for the 1959 booking season. The print order is for copies, and a special edition has been prepared for issue abroad.
Lavishly illustrated, the brochure opens out to reveal a map of all Britain's coach routes, and unfolds the stery of coach travel in text at the same time. Posters and other display, items, have been prepared to assist in -launching the scheme.
Distribution will be carried out by member . companies of the two groups, London Coastal Coaches, Ltd., and general agencies. The British Travel and Holidays Association, Who have advised on the production of the folder, are helping in overseas distribution.
In a joint staterrient this week, the groups claimed that distribution would be world-wide, as the print order was one of the largest ever placed for a production of this kind.
They added: " The co-operation on the part of the two groups in this joint effort has resulted in a product on a scale and of a standard that could not otherwise have been achieved."
R.T.C. MEET IN MANCHESTER I N accordance with their policy to hold some of their meetings outside London, to keep in touch with local industrial interests, the British Transport Commission met in Manchester yesterday. Members visited British Road Services depots in the area, and today will inspect depots in the Liverpool area including the site for a new parcels depot in Breck Road.
FIGHT FOR 40-HOUR WEEK
MR. E. NASH, president of the National Union of Vehicle Builders, told the Union's annual conference at Llandudno on Monday that the engineering unions were determined to make progress this year with their claim for a 40-hour week.
£800,000 BUS ORDER
A N order to the value of £800,000 for /-1 150 Daimler and Leyland buses was approved on Monday, by Glasgow Transport Committee. The chassis will be fitted with Alexander bodywork.
MinistryInquiry into Smithfield Dispute
-THE Minister of Labour, Mr. fain Macleod, has set up a committee to inquire into the Smithfield mallet dispute. which began when 1,700 drivers and ' mates of meat vans went on unofficial strike in support of a demand for a pay increase of 15 per cent. He appealed on Monday to the men to return to work.
A meeting of Smithfield drivers was held at St. Pancras Town Hall on Wednesday. On Monday, foremen at Smithfield passed a vote of no confidence in the unofficial strike committee and said they would return to work next Monday if the strike were not cancelled.
[Further news of the dispute appears on page 675.] HELICOPTERS TO REPLACE' COACHES?
CAN helicopters replace coaches? To find -the answer to this question the Societe Generale des Transports Departementaux, Paris, a leading French road transport concern, which operates express coach services, has applied for permission to ran helicopters, instead of road vehicles, between Caen and Le Havre this summer.
The present link between the two towns is provided by two subsidiaries of the S.G.T.D.—Les Courriers Normands and the Compagnie Normande d'Autobus. They plan to operate a Vertol 44 15-seat helicopter. The primary aim is not to compare costs with those of coaches, but to measure public reaction.
Caen municipal council have decided to build a heliport in the centre of the town and the other municipalities concerned are expected to follow suit. Stops will be made at four intermediate places. It is hoped that the service will be inaugurated next month. .
T.R.T.A. TO HOLD CENSUS
IN a further effort to meet widespread
and often ill-informed criticism of C-licence operation, members of the Traders' Road Transport Association are to be asked to complete a census form in respect of their C-licence vehicles at June 30.
It is hoped that the resulting statistics will give a detailed picture of operations, covering the whole range of vehicles from 5-cwt. vans to eight-wheeled bulk carriers. It is thought that the comprehensive information made available by members will be an invaluable supplement to the recent Ministry of Transport census of goods vehicles.