'Give us £2m—
Page 6
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or else'
COUNTRY DWELLERS in eight north-west counties could be turned back 100 years if Crosville Motor Services did not receive nearly £2m from local authority subsidies. The claim was made by Mr Edward Dravers, director and general manager of Crosville, at the press conference this week to explain a campaign among county authorities being pressed for increased grants.
Mr Dravers said a film-slide show and booklet entitled "The Choice is Yours" were being made available to councillors to help them appreciate the problems facing State-owned companies. He said although they were currently planning to reduce the 1,200-bus fleet by 100 it had to be realised that each bus would have to be replaced on the road by 53 cars, if alternative transport was to be provided.
But for many—old people, the disabled, and children especially—there would be no replacement for buses. The clock would be turned back a century in many rural communities served at present by Crosville buses, if they had to be cut.
The Orn grant needed would not amount to more than the cost of 21 cigarettes a week for each ratepayer within the operation area—"a small price to pay for an essential service," he said.