Transport Prominent at Labour Conference
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FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT
TRANSPORT is certain of a prominent I place at the Labour Party conference which will be held at Scarborough in October. The conference agenda published on Wednesday records 22 resolutions sent in for discussion—which makes it one of the most popular subjects with both unions and constituency Labour parties, Most of them express the same sentiment in slightly different ways-a halt to rail closures pending a major survey of the country's roads and other transport services, followed by an integrated" transport system under public control, But some go further, Scotstoun, Glasgow. Labour Party calls for the nationalization of industries supplying transport, such as diesel oil and engine suppliers. during the lifetime of the next Labour Government.
Govan, Glasgow. Party demands a new Transport Commission embracing all forms of transport—road, rail, sea and air—with overall powers to "integrate all these forms into one cohesive force". The Commission should be composed entirely of persons connected with the various branches of the transport industry and a majority of the various boards entrusted with the running of the industry should be elected directly by those employed in the transport industry, says the Party. "By this means a truly democratic and social force will assist in the developing of the necessary socialist consciousness which is a pre-requisite for the building of a Socialist Britain," the resolution declares.
A number of resolutions are particularly concerned with the hardship to people living in rural areas if the Beeching Plan is carried out. And Camberwell Labour Party calls for an extensive programme of underground railway construction not only in London but in other large conurbations.