Tories Press for R oral Bus Decision
Page 33
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
From Our Political Correspondent
TEN Conservative M.P.s went to the Transport Ministry last week to quiz Mr. Marples about lack of action on the Jack Report. Led by Mr. Rupert Speir (Hexham), they demanded a firm answer to their question; " Is Dr. Beeching holding up your decision, and if he is, why don't you announce this in public?"
It is now fairly clear that the pattern of railway closures must be known before the Government decide what to do about rural bus services. "But," says Mr. Speir, if this is the case, surely the people living in country areas have a right to know what is in store. The situation is getting from bad to worse, and the Government should come clean if they are not going to do anything."
One school of thought believes that far too much is being made of the financial problem. Some M.P.s are saying that an annual sum of £2 million is all that is necessary to give adequate protection for rural buses. To the taxpayer, this represents the equivalent of less than two weeks' losses on the railways.
There is also some feeling that the bus operators have been playing their politics a little too hard.