Transport Board for Tyneside?
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A TRANSPORT board for the Tyneti side side area, on similar lines to the London Passenger Tran.sport Board, wai an outstanding proposal submitted to the Royal Commission on Local Government, at the four days' public inquiry held at Newcastic-on-Tyne, before Sir Angus Newton Scott, as chairman, The inquiry was adjourned until Ma,rch 10, when .evidence will, be adduced. from the„ outlying urban districts and non-county boroughs involved in the proposed unification plan.
Alderman R. Mayne, chairman of Newcastle Transport Committee, put forward the scheme for a transport board, and held that it would be in the public interest to have a monopoly of all road transport. Newcastle transport undertaking had 92 miles of single-track tramways, 110 motorbuses and a trolleybus service. Having spent £2,300,000 on transport, he claimed that the city should have a monopoly within its boundaries
After pointing out that the Traffic Commissioners supported this view, Alderman Mayne said: "I think a transport board is bound to come. It would certainly be in the public interest, but I question whether it would be of any financial advantage to Newcastle. It would have been an advantage, I think, if other authorities around us, instead of leasing their powers to companies, had made arrangements to run transport facilities themselves, or asked us to run them, Had the municipalities joined together, with the powers that they possessed," he added, 'it would have been better."
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Mr. T. P. Easton, Newcastle's tramport manager, supporting the suggested transport board, stated that 18 private companies operated into the city. The Traffic Commissioners had brought about a considerable amount of. order and control out of chaotic conditions. "I think, however," he added, " that the Act is not complete, inasmuch as the Commissioners have no control over the railway companies, and can have no say in the fixing of fares and in the frequency of the services."
The town clerk (Sir Arthur M. Oliver) also favoured the establishment of a transport board. " It might not be to the advantage of my corporation," he said, "but I think it would be to the advantage of the public."
Answering Sir Angus Newton Scott, who inquired whether the area of Northumberland and Durham would be too large for one board, Alderman Mayne said: "It could be done, but there is a big gap between Sunderland and Middlesbrough. I favour a big area."
Sir Angus: " Should this proposed board be run by Newcastle, or as an ad hoc authority? "
Alderman Mayne: "An ad hoc authorfty."
The chairman, replying to Mr. H. A. Stagg, representing various transport undertakings, said that the Commission would bear in mind, in considering the question of a transport board, the suggestion that evidence should be taken on behalf of the various transport undertakings which existed in the locality.