Minister goes for direct grants
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THE Government favours direct grants for specific transport schemes rather than the present blanket subsidies according to Minister for Transport, Dr John Gilbert.
At the annual dinner of the Confederation Of British Road Passenger Transport last week, he revealed that the DoE was studying the evidence of passenger loss caused by the recent round of fare increases. If this logs became too great then the whole ,situation would have to be reviewed.
Dr Gilbert stressed that the operating subsidies would be halved by 1979 and that the countries must decide on What scale they wanted public transport In their areas.
"Many people will always have to rely on public transport," said the MirAster. He advocated the extension of bus priority systems and also the study of newer systems—such as dial-a-ride—as replacements for conventional stage carriage services.
The total number of bus journeys had fallen by 50 per cent between 1950 and 1970 while the number of cars on the road had risen from 2m to 114frrn.
On the 'EEC front, the Minister reiterated that Britain was .not in a position to meet regulation 543 /69—in troduc ing tachographs and drivers' hours —at one fell swoop. He said that rnegetiations were continuing in a sympathetic atmosphere and that he was not only "optimistic" on the possibilities of deferment but also hoped to amend the regulations into a more acceptable form.