*Merry Minister
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Richard Marsh is rapidly re-establishing his reputation as an extremely entertaining after-dinner speaker. When he first went to the Transport Ministry his speeches at public functions were a mixture of hilarious asides, mimicry and serious political prose, but perhaps it was the sheer grind of the Bill which gradually eliminated most of the humour. In the past two weeks I have heard him twice and he is certainly back on form.
Ai the PTA dinner last week he was back to the old hilarity, mimicking constituents and colleagues, poking fun at himself and his advisers, telling tall stories like a professional comedian—and thus softening up a potentially hostile audience for the serious matters which followed.
Complaining that there was a spate of significant initials which had him reeling, Mr. Marsh recounted how the NBC had been worked on for months by serious civil servants as the National Bus Group—until someone pointed out what this could mean. And, looking round at the top men from the PTA, NBC, MPTA, PVOA and so on, he grinned: "A sort of gigantic piggybank for Donald Stokes, isn't it?"
* What he means
The Minister was very strong on co-operation in his PTA speech and I, for one, was particularly interested in some of the items in his written hand-out speech which he did not actually say. For instance, he used the transfer of Ledgards and the West Riding company into the public sector as presenting Leeds, Bradford and West Yorkshire Road Car with a tremendous opportunity for rationalized services. And he hoped, perhaps significantly, that the negotiations in progress in the West Riding would be mirrored up and down the country.
* Appreciation
The PTA members at the dinner were obviously delighted to learn that the Association had elected John Spencer Wills, the senior past-chairman, to well-deserved honorary membership. There are only two other such honorary members, and the decision was obviously meant to represent gratitude to the BET as well as to Mr. Wills himself for the part played in the PTA's progress.
Another item of news which drew applause was that secretary Bob Howlett is nearly recovered from his August accident and hopes to be back at his desk in a week or two.
As always, it was a great gathering of passenger transport leaders and included no fewer than 10 chairmen of Traffic Commissioners—whom Mr. Gailey called: "The arbiters of our financial fates, our own gnomes of Britain!"
* Connections
When discussing the difficulties of explaining to tours passengers that licences do not always cover certain picking-up points, the chairman of the North Western Traffic Commissioners, Mr. C. R. Hodgson, pointed out at a public sitting in Chester recently that the public had seldom heard of the Commissioners.
To illustrate the point, Mr. T. H. Jones, managing director of Hancock s (Old Colwyn) Ltd., told the story of two Welsh operators running to an Eisteddfod at Llangollen where a private party was going for 7s a head and a licensed tour was costing 12s. The explanation given about the operator of the latter: "Oh, he belongs to something in Manchester." The Commissioners had been called many things but never "something", Mr. Hodgson remarked ruefully.
* Spit and polish
Image brightening for Manchester Corporation Transport is to be one of the principal duties of the successful applicant for the position of public relations officer that has been advertised by the department recently. Responsibility for general publicity at MCT —posters, service changes, fares changes and so on—lay with F. R. Parkinson who lately retired. Now, I am told by the secretary to the department, the decision has been taken to lay down a fresh pattern for the job.
The object is to foster a greater direct interest by the citizens in their 1239-vehicle fleet and generally to project a more detailed picture of what lies behind the provision of the everyday services.
* Bring your own bus
The skid pan on which Manchester Corporation driver-recruits do part of their training has now been opened on Saturday mornings, under control of the Manchester road safety committee, for members of the public to try their skill.
In the thick fog of November 9 the scheme was inaugurated by a 1909 Ford Model T owned by H. & J. Quick Ltd., with driver Billy Harrison, a member of their staff, at the wheel. You have to bring your own vehicle. Some of those who have displayed interest in the idea have nevertheless been reluctant to use their own cars, but I am assured that there is no chance of borrowing either a bus or the Model T for the purpose.
* Look up—bang!
I'm glad to see someone is having another go at street nameplates and signs. The trade associations have complained at their inadequacy and poor location from time to time: now the Consumer's Association journal Which? is having a go in its November issue.
The London borough of Islington was chosen for a survey earlier this year, and this showed that nearly half the road junctions had at least one road unmarked, while many others were illegible. With help from road users the magazine also took a look at the situtation in Brum, Bristol, Cambridge and Edinburgh—and only Edinburgh gets a pat on the back.
As Which? says, if Edinburgh can do it, why not the others?
The chief purpose of the survey was to see how much safety risk and frustration was caused by drivers having to peer about for directions. Lorry and van drivers don't need reminding what an infuriating business this can be. The magazine concludes by asking for more name signs at intersections, repositioning of existing ones at the right height (low as possible but not lower than 2-1-11 in light-traffic areas and 6i11 in busy streets), and within 10ft of the corner.
The Ministry issued guidance on this years ago, but a working party set up in 1966 to recommend better ways of getting compliance from local authorities has not yet reported. Come on, lads: let's hear from you! Please?