Union Attitude Threat to Rural Buses P
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SOME rural bus services operated by Potteries Motor Traction Co. Ltd. may have to be withdrawn because the TGWU wants a "closed shop" in the company. PMT wants to introduce about 30 one-man buses on uneconomic routes, but the union will not allow the plan to go ahead until the company agrees to employ only union members. Now the company has warned that some rural services may have to be cut out because of rising costs.
Mr. W. J. Womar, general manager of the company, which had already introduced four one-man services before the union objected, said last week that "there is nothing in the company's agreement with the union covering conditions of service for its employees which stipulates that an employee must be a member of a trade union. We will not be forced into any such arrangement because we consider that membership of a trade union is a matter for the free choice of the individual ".
A local union organizer, who claims that 99 per cent of the company's 2,200 drivers and conductors are union members, said last Tuesday: "We feel that only union members should man these buses because all the arrangements and negotiations have been between the management and the union."
New Motorway Express
WITH the opening of the six-mile VI' section of M5 between Lydiate Ash, Worcestershire and Quinton, Birmingham, Midland Red commenced a new Motorway Express Service between Birmingham City Centre and Worcester, via Bearwood.
The daily service is of 2 hr. frequency and the first journey via the M5 takes only 50 min. The existing Birmingham and Worcester motorway express service via Selly Oak and Northfield will continue to operate at two-hourly intervals.
LTB Can Borrow More
A1. I hR a searching inquiry into what the country would be getting for its money, M.P.s last week agreed to raise the London Transport Board's borrowing powers from £200 m. to £250 m.
Mr. Fraser, who introduced the Order allowing the increase, explained that under the Transport Act of 1962 the maximum amount which the Board could borrow was £270m., and this £50m, should take it on for about another three years at the current rate of investment.
He explained that the £3-85 m. he had promised London Transport was not included in the £50m. The first sum was a subsidy, but the £50 m. was money which was to be borrowed.
It was now clear that the Board could no longer maintain viability in its normal operations, said Mr. Fraser.
There was no possibility of a fares increase being applied which would give an income to meet costs.
Mr. W. J. Edbrooke has been elected chairman of the Council of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers and under the constitution he assumes the chairmanship of the Institute as a whole during his term of office. Mr. Edbrooke, who is transport manager of London Co-operative Society, has served on the Council since 1959 and has, during this time, taken the chair of many of the standing committees.
Mr. E. H. Leicester has been appointed principal executive assistant in the office of the fares and charges officer, London Transport, to whom he will be deputy.
Mr. A. T. Webster, assistant managing director of Leyland Motors Ltd., has begun a four-week tour of the group's subsidiaries and branches in Australia and New Zealand. Accompanying Mr. Webster throughout the visit will be Mr. J. Plane, a director of the parent Leyland Motor Corporation and managing director of Leyland Motor Corporation of South Africa.
Mr. T. G. Bakewell has been appointed supply manager of Leyland Motors Ltd. Mr. Bakewell was previously employed as chief buyer (car division) of StandardTriumph International Ltd. and had been with STI since 1939.
The Minister of Transport has appointed Mr. J. A. R. Falconer as a parttime director of the board of the Transport Holding Company for a period of three years. Mr. Falconer has filled the vacancy created by the retirement of Col. Donald Cameron at the end of June, 1965. Mr. Falconer read Economics and Law at Cambridge immediately prior to the Second World War, in which he served in the RAF. He became a chartered accountant in 1947.
Mr. Kenneth Wall has been appointed personnel manager of Dodge Brothers (Britain) Ltd. Mr. Wall has spent the past 17 years in personnel mankgement posts with the Shell, Metal Box, British Oxygen and Plessy companies. 'Mr. William Swallow has resigned as managing director of Vauxhall Motors Ltd., with effect from December 31 next, but will remain chairman of the board. Mr. David L. Hegland becomes a director of the company with effect from December 1 and will succeed Mr.
Swallow as managing director. Mr. Swallow has been active in the automotive industry throughout his professional career. He served as managing director of General Motors Ltd. in. London from 1953 to April, 1961, when he became chairman and managing director of Vauxhall. He has been a member of the Vauxhall board since 1956. Mr. Hegland has been associated with the overseas activities of General Motors since 1945. He became managing director of General Motors International at Copenhagen in 1956 and two years later was appointed to the same post at General Motors South African (Pty) Ltd., Port Elizabeth. Mr. Hegland went •to General MotorsHoidens (Pty) Ltd., Australia, in 1961 and in May, 1962 was appointed managing director.
Mr. R. R. Ellemor has been appointed head of the Milk Marketing Board's bulk collection development department in succession to Mr. 3, Hutchinson, who has joined the Science Research Council. Mr. Ellernor, who takes up his appointment on December 1, joined the Board in 1947.
Mr. R. .C. Clifford Turner and Mr. H. L. Roy Matthews have been reappointed part-time directors of the Transport Holding Company for a further three years and two years, respectively.
Obituary
WEregret to record the deaths of Mr. W. Appleby, Mr. M. Clark and Mr. H. Renwick.
Mr. Appleby was a pioneer in bus services in Northumberland. He was a senior partner with Safeway Coaches, which started a service between Morpeth and Newcastle upon Tyne via Whalton and Ponteland about 30 years ago. Later he formed his own concern, known as Terrier Coaches.
Mr. Clark was head of Clark's Haulage Ltd., Sunderland. He started business with a horse and cart and built up a concern of 20 lorries.
Mr. Renwick, 58, was managing director of Hetherington and Renwick, haulage contractors, Garrigill, Cumberland,