PTA rejects Minister's free fares plea
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• There was a major slap in the face this week for Mr Geoffrey Rippon, Secretary of State for the Environment, from the Tyneside Passenger Transport Authority. Mr Rippon had intervened in the political row between the PTA and Newcastle upon Tyne Corporation (exclusively reported in CAI, February 9) over the PTA's plan to introduce faresfree transport for elderly and disabled people.
Mr Rippon wrote to Aid A. Cunningham, the Authority's chairman, asking the PTA to "give urgent consideration to deferring their decision" on the plan, which is estimated to cost £2m a year. Newcastle ratepayers would have to bear nearly £.+m of this and it was at the behest of the Tory Corporation there that Mr Rippon wrote to the Socialist-dominated PTA.
At a meeting on Monday, the PTA considered Mr Rippon's request. After discussion the PTA's Labour majority over whelmingly rejected a motion that the PTA defer its fares-free plan for 12 months, as requested by the Minister. The Authority re-affirmed its determination to go ahead with the scheme which is due to begin on April 1.
Mr G. Rhodes, MP for Newcastle East, this week described Mr Rippon's request as "sheer unadulterated brutality". He said he did not know whether the Minister could compel the PTA to defer the plan.
A Department of the Environment spokesman confirmed to CM this week that the Minister could not, in fact, direct the PTA to drop or defer its scheme. However, Mr Rippon does have power, under Section 13(4) of the 1968 Transport Act, to control the amount of rate precept which must be levied to pay for it. This power has never been used by the Minister but he is now understood to be considering its implementation in this case.