Rail report raps Rodgers
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REACTION to a House of Commons Select Committee report on Nationalised Industries, has thrown up accusations that British Rail is being put before its customers.
But both Greater London Council and the National Consumers Council hailed the report as a victory for travellers and recognition of the role of the GLC as a transport authority.
The report was published on Thursday at a Press conference held by committee chairman Russell Kerr MP (see . News Extra, p.27).
Mr Kerr said that he was concerned about the handling of railway affairs: "I do • not wish to denigrate the Secretary of State (William Rodgers) but we were rather worried about the capacity of the Department of Transport to deal with the railways, and its apparent bias against them," he said.
But the Frieght Transport Association this week accused the committee of "being more concerned with the running of British Rail than how it looks after its customers."
And reaction from Sir Dan Pettit, National Freight Corporation chairman on the prospect of Freightliners being handed back to BR was one of disdain.
"The Freightliners New Model Army continues to be winning the battle of the profits," he said.
Reaction to the report from the Greater London Council, was one of a happy welcome. GLC planning and communications policy committee leader-designate Shelagh Roberts said: "Through ticketing and co-ordinated rail pricing systems will speed up travelling time and make services more efficient for passengers," She could not accept that London Transport should be empowered to fix the fares. "This must be subject to the GLC's approval because the council is answerable to the ratepayers of London who have to foot part of the bill," she said.
Association of Metropolitan Authorities chairman Jack Smart was also jubilant about the report.
"We are pleased with the recommendation that there should be a committee of inquiry to consider whether greater powers should be given to the metropolitan authorities and passenger transport executives," he said.
On taxation both the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association agreed that the committee had used the wrong figures on the compiling of track costs (CM, May 6).