Northumberland Rural Service Withdrawn
Page 14
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A WARNING of the situation which rA. might arise repeatedly in rural districts if urgent Government action is not taken to remedy the plight facing many country bus operators is contained in a public statement from Rochester arid Marshall Ltd., of Great Whittington, Northumberland.
The statement is headed "Withdrawal of bus service—last day of operation, Sunday, December 20, 1964" and continues: " The directors regret that they are unable to subsidize their Woodburnto-Newcastle service from other revenue for a further period. The service has been operated for the community entirely at the company's expense for the past four years. The current rate of fuel tax of 2s. 9d. plus fid. per gallon just does not
make sense when imposed on a rural service of this kind. This company has been paying fuel tax on this service alone at a rate of 1290 per annum, which is almost identical with the loss that this route has been showing.
"The company maintains that if fuel tax was not applied to rural services of this nature then these routes would not have been withdrawn, thereby depriving rural dwellers of public transport. Rochester and Marshall has grown from a company established in 1925 and now runs 15 vehicles on 13 stage services, most of which are operated on a proverbial shoestring, and the company considers that if this punitive fuel tax continues many more licences will have to be surrendered."
Signatories of the statement are J. Rochester and G. Marshall, directors of the company.
Adjourned : An application by Short Bros., (Coals) Ltd., of Cwmbach, Aberdare, Glam., for B-licence variations of six tippers was adjourned by the South Wales Licensing Authority at Cardiff on Monday. D. G. Phillips and Sons, of Hirwaun, Glam., withdrew an application for B licences for five vehicles.