SMOOTH PASSAGE FOR TRAVEL BILL
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A FTER a 15-minute discussion, M.P.s last week gave their final approval to the Travel Concessions Bill. The measure now goes to. the Lords, and after the Commons has looked at any changes made by the Upper House, it will be ready to become law.
The Bill has had a swift, smooth passage through the Commons, meeting with wholehearted approval from Labour and acceptance—with reservations—from the Tories.
This was the pattern repeated in last week's short debate. Mr. -Stephen Swingler, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, said that by the Bill the Government was expressing faith in the judgment of those local authorities which conducted municipaltransport
undertakings. •
He realized that some People 'lad wished to go much wider and legislate about concessionary travel itself. That would be a far more difficult and complex undertaking, but some of the considerations mentioned in that connection would he taken into account in the Government-s general survey of transport planning in the interests of the community.
Sir Robert Cary (Tory, Withington) gave the Bill his blessing, but had two regrets.
Mr. H. Seddon is to resign as chairman of Seddon Diesel Vehicles Ltd. of Oldham, on December 31. hut will retain his seat on the board. Mr. Seddon has been with the company since its inception in 1928 and has been chairman for the past two years.' Mr. H. Redmond, the present deputy chairman and managing director, has been appointed chairman and managing • director with effect •frorn January 1, 1965. Mr. P. J. Verdellis, Mr. C. J. Redmond and Mr. D. W. Redmond have been appointed to the board and will continue to hold their present executive offices of sales; financial and engineering respectively. He understood there had been absolutely no consultation with the Public Transport Association or. the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association. This, said Sir Robert, was a contradiction of what had happened in the past as between the Ministry of Transport and the maM bodies representing the industry.
His other regret was that the Traffic Commissioners would not now be concerned with this important matter of con,. cessions. Under the Transport Act, '1930, the Commissioners were always fully informed of monetary concessions. IlLt following the 1955 Act and the present measure they were more or less shut out of the p:cture. .
No Rural Tax Concessions
THERE are to be no fuel tax concessions for rural delivery services. In the Commons last week Mr. Simon Wingfield Digby (Tory, Dorset West) asked for these services to be exempted from the increased tax in view of the threat caused to them by higher costs. But Mr. Niall MacDerrnot, Financial' Secretary to the Treasury, replied that he could not agr,...e to any relief from this necessary increase in taxation apart from that which he Transport Minister had offered to the bus industry.
Mr. A. J. Batt has been appointed service manager at Arlington Alma Garages Ltd.. of Bristol, to replace Mr. T. Ashcroft, who is to retire from the Company.
Mr. J. W. Roberts will not act as consultant to Jet Petroleum Ltd. after his 66th birthday • on December 19. Mr. Roberts was one of the founders and original directors of the company.
Sitnms Motor Units Ltd.. a member of the •Simms group of companies, has appointed Mr. Edward D. Broom to the, board of directors. Mr. Brown has been with the company for the past 27 years.
In 1963 he became manager of the parts and service division, in which position he continues to serve.