New Entrants to Controversy Over Area Schemes
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THE town council of Barrow has decided to take no action on a resolution from the National Union of Ratepayers' Associations, expressing opposition to the proposed area schemes for passenger transport. The Labour group of the council, when criticized by other councillors, replied that the public needed co-ordination of transport services, and that this was impossible at present.
Another organization which has not hitherto figured in the opposition to the proposed schemes has now joined the lists. The Middlesbrough branch of the United Commercial Travellers' Association has decided to support the campaign being carried on by the Om nibus Passengers' Protection Association, Newcastle-on-Tyne. A branch of the 0.P.P.A. has also been formed in Manchester.
The Northern area secretary of the General and Municipal Workers' Union, Mr. S. C. Hills, speaking at a meeting at Tynemouth, took.a different view of the nationalization proposals, when he recommended that members of any area board for the northern area should be paid fees far less than those which had been suggested. Mr. Hills said he had heard that the fees
would be about £750 per annum, but he contended that the members should be paid for each meeting attended.
In South Wales, a reaction has followed the proposals made by Cardiff City Council, reported in The Corn; mercial Motor" on December 2. Both the chairman and the vice-chairman of the transport committee, Mr. J. P. Collins and Mr. A. J. Williams, declined aornmation as members of the joint sub-committee set up by the council to consider the case to be presented to the British Transport Committee for retention of control of the city's undertaking.
In the eastern area. Lowestoft Transport Committee has recommended the town council to express its dissatisfaction with the proposed area scheme. No case could be made to justify the scheme, stated the committee.
Further north, Grimsby Chamber of Commerce unanimously decided to send the transport committee a copy of the resolution "viewing with concern" any proposal to nationalize passenger transport services in Grimsby. Cieethorpes and. the surrounding districts. The resolution had been asked for in support of a motion by the, Derby and Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce.