No N.R.T.O.A. Resignations in N. E. Area Dispute : Minister's Haste to Sieze Passenger Transport
Page 32
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
AREPORT that Mr. R. G. Hunter, secretary, and the committee of the Northern Road Transport Owners' Association, of Newcastleupon-Tyne, have resigned as the result of a disagreement on the nationalization of road passenger transport, was denied on Monday by Mr. Hunter. "It is wishful thinking on somebody's part," he told " The Commercial Motor."
A meet:ng of members took place last week-end and according to unconfirmed reports, it was stormy. ,Mr. Hunter was unable to say what occurred, but stated that another meeting of members and a meeting of the committee were to be .held.
Seven Months Ago
As reported in "[he Commercial Motor" on February 18 this year, many members of the Association were persuaded that to fight nationalization was useless, and when the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association began to organize resistance in the north-east, Mr. Hunter issued a statement to the effect that any decision to fight that might he reached by P.V.O.A. members was not representative of the feelings of operators affiliated to the N.R.T.O.A. This statement was disputed by Mr. F. Milton, secretary of the northern area of P.V.O.A.
Mr. Peter Yorke. director of the British Omnibus Companies Public Relations Committee, has issued a reply to a speech by Mr. A. Barnes, Minister of Transport, at the inaugural meeting of the Users' Consultative Committee for Scotland, in Edinburgh. 'last week.
Mr. Barnes said that when the revenue of the railways, long-distance road haulage and road passenger transport had been pooled and the three systems integrated, he was convinced that transport as a whole would pay its Way.
"I Want to Hurry"
He was reported as declaring that, as
regarded railway finance, there was everything to be said for speeding up the unification of road passenger services. Referring to a projected area scheme for Scotland, he added: "That is why .1 want to hurry on With the completion of the scheme, although not by overriding public opinion."
Mr. Yorke says: "Passengers in the ' guinea-pig ' north-eastern area, where the only scheme so far put forward by the Transport Commission is in its first draft, will receive this statement with mixed relief and surprise, for although the Transport Act goes out of its way to emphasize that the wishes of the public, through local authorities, • must be considered, so far this obligation has been honoured only in form and not at all in substance.
" It would be pleasant to think that Mr. Barnes's statements in Edinburgh mean that the north-eastern scheme may he dropped, for the already con a30 "The effect of the Minister's reassurance, however, has been largely spoiled by the statement later attributed to him that the first area scheme has been 'adopted' in north-east England. Mr. Barnes goes too fast. This scheme, far from having been adopted.' is still in the consultation stage, and it is difficult to understand how one can have a genuine consultation about a project which one has already adopted.
" Is it possible that the Minister means that public opinion may be overridden in the 'guinea-pig area,' but nowhere else?"
N.E. SCHEME TO BE COPIED?
SALE and Altrincham, two Cheshire county boroughs, are pressing Manchester Corporation to set up a road passenger transport scheme for the greater Manchester area, similar to that proposed for the north-east.
Both depend on the Manchester transport undertaking and the North-Western Road Car Co.. Ltd., for services, and the Sale authorities have already approached Manchester on the matter. The borough authorities urge that the formation of such a scheme would ensure local control, which might not be the case under nationalization.
AUSTRALIAN P.M.G.'S ORDER
AN order for 533 Morris-Commercial 25-30-cwt. vans has been given by the Australian Postmaster-General through Nuffield (Australia) Pty., Ltd.
The chassis and cabs of the vehicles will be shipped in knocked-down condition and the bodies will be built in Australia.
eetung in S.E.
CCORD1NG to Mr. R. Morton 1—tMitchell, chief executive officer of the Road Haulage Association, the first meeting of a divisional liaison committee, set up under the machinery cf co-operation devised by the Road Haulage and other Executives and the R.H.A., is likely to be held in the South Eastern Division of the R.H.E..
R.H.A. representatives .on the committee will be drawn from the Metropolitan and South-eastern, Southern 'and Eastern Areas.
Mr. Mitchell' was speaking at the first meeting of the new combined Metropolitan and South-eastern Area of the Association, held at its new offices.
Mr. B. G. Turner, national chairman of the R.H.A., who referred to the amalgamation of the former two areas, congratulated their leaders on sinking ambition to help the Association.
NEW R.H.E.-T.U. APPOINTMENTS
THE National Staff Council set up by the Road Haulage Executive and the trade unions concerned held its inaugural meeting• on .September 16 at the offices of the Executive.
The Council met to implement a recent agreement between the Executive and the unions providing for negotiating machinery at natiOnal, divisional and local levels.
The following officers were appointed: Maj.-Gen. G. N. Russell, • chairman: Mr. A. E. Tiffin, vice-chairman, and Mr. R. Watson and Mr. F. Cousins. joint secretaries for the R.H.E. and the unions respectively. Mr. Tiffin it the assistant general secretary of the--Transport and General Workers Union.