B.T.C. Denies Will be that Bus Fares Raised
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" CARES in the London area are to 1. be increased after October 1.in order to help offset the losses on British Railways," said Mr. Peter Yorke. director of the British Omnibus Companies Public Relations Committee, in London, last week.
This, he stated, was the declared policy of the British Transport Commission, as revealed by the published proceedings of the Transport Tribunal, which sat last month to advise the Minister of Transport on the proposal to increase railway freight charges. Mr. Yorke declared that London bus fares had long been the highest in the country, mainly because bus services had been "co-ordinated" .with the unprofitable underground railways.
Modest increases had been made by some municipalities. but provincial bus fares were still generally at the same levels as in 1914. • London fares had been increased three times since 1933. On shorter journeys it 'night be said that one could travel on a company bus for 2d. as far as one could in London for 4d.
Mr. Yorke said that the policy of the British Transport Commission, as revealed before the Tribunal by its
counsel, was to put up road fares wherever possible. Mr. Barnes had told the House of Commons in December, 1949, that "when the rest of the country follows the same plan, through the area schemes, which we applied in London in 1933, we shall get that balance. between receipts and expenditure of road and rail transport that will enable the B.T.C. to pay its way."
Later, the B.T.C. denied that fares were to be increased to offset railway losses. The main purpose of the proposed new fares scheme for the London area, to be submitted to the Transport Tribunal as soon as it was ready, was said to be to iron out anomalies and historical variations which the Commission had inherited.
Moreover, it was stated, the R.T.C. had made no declaration of policy to the effect that its intention was to raise bus fares all over the country. It was not in a position to do so.
This the Passenger Vehicle Operators' AssOciation refuted, slating that witnesses and counsel had made it clear before the Transport Tribunal that the proposed London charges scheme would produce an .extra revenue of L3.000,000-16.000.000 a year.