READING MISSES ONE BUS IN THREE C REWS are quitting the
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service of Reading Corporation Transport at such an alarming rate that one bus in every three is being put out of service. This was stated at the council meeting last week when a call was made for an investigating committee. Protests were made that despite the present difficult situation in the service the last transport committee meeting had been cancelled because there was nothing on the agenda.
The debate was initiated by a motion moved by ClIr. D. Jones; "That the transport committee be instructed to give early consideration (1) to the serious situation arising in the transport undertaking as a result of the alarming loss of platform staff which has caused a reduction in the standard of service given to the travelling public: and (2) to the type of bus used by the undertaking, with a view to improving the staff position by the use of a more suitable type of vehicle."
Letters to the local Press, written by former bus employees, were read out in part at the meeting, and there were protests that the Corporation had bought the wrong sort of buses. It was revealed that at a meeting of the busmen's union leaders, they said the answer to the problem was a wages increase of Is. an hour —equivalent to a 15 per cent rise.
Cllr. Stoddart. transport committee chairman, moved an amendment "that the resolution be not agreed ", and stated that proposals would be put to the next meeting of the committee. The amendment was carried.