Looking ahead to changes
Page 6
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AS TRANSPORT Ministe Norman Fowler's Transpor Bill makes its way to the star ting blocks for its run throug Parliament, the Traffic Corn missioners are preparin themselves for changed res ponsibilities. The annual reports of th Commissioners for the yea ended March 31, 197 published last week sho many areas noting the effect of last winter's severe weathe and industrial problems.
In South Wales, chairma Ronald Jackson reports thai his staff continued to spend much of their time pursuinE alleged illegal operations b3 small bus and taxi operators.
For instance, Northern chairman Bertram Foster reports on social car schemes: "The provisions of the 1978 Transport Act have so far brought no enquiries to Road Service Licensing section."
The message from Yorkshire's Maj Gen John Carpenter is similar. "Despite thE facilities now available uncle( the Transport Act 1978, therE has been little sign of interesi in this traffic area and verb few enquiries have beer received."
And North Western's Ro3 Hutchings reports: "To dat( we have only one Social Ca: Scheme; this is a Women': Royal Voluntary Servic( Scheme which they have beer running for some time, bu have not in the past been abli to advertise."
West Midland's Arthu Crabtree reports: "There arl individual operators who givâ– us cause for concern and thes1 are always followed up vigo rously."
His East Midland counter part, C. M. Sheridan, has bars] words, too. "The lack of res ponsibility by certain opera tors in regard to vehicl maintenance standards con tinues to be a cause for con cern."
Sir John Potter's report fo the Western Traffic Area doe refer to problems with "inex perienced and uninformed applicants for licences, but, o: the whole, he takes a happie line.