NBC companies will retain identity
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'Loyalty cannot be bought', says area chairman
• The National Bus Company must not be regarded as one large nationalized undertaking, said Mr. Bernard Griffiths, chairman of the South Wales group of companies, when speaking at the annual long-service dinner of the Western Welsh Omnibus Co. Ltd.
That is not going to be the case or anything like it," he said. "There is a tremendous value in company names, company livery and company loyalty; and loyalty is something which cannot be bought or obtained by statute. I believe, and I hope, as far as nationalization is concerned under the Transport Act, that the companies will remain with the same names as they have now, with the same management and run in the same way."
There was provision in the Transport Act for assisting buses in cases where it would be difficult to operate profitably in places such as rural areas, said Mr. Griffiths. "I detest the idea of subsidy and I always shall because where money can be easily obtained in the form of a subsidy the incentive and spur for economical operation disappears. It would be a very bad thing for transport if that should happen. I think, too, that the future is not going to hold as many terrors for us as sometimes seemed possible."
Speaking of standard buses Mr. Griffiths said, "The idea is that p.s.v. should be made more comfortable, warmer, well ventilated and built to a standard to ensure that they would be produced at a reasonable price. The idea is a good one as long as it does not mean in practice that the buses will be stereotyped, uninspiring types of vehicles that everyone will have whether they like them or not.
"I like to see some of the differences in vehicles we see today fulfilling local and special needs. I hope we will never, see the day when we are told this is the bus you can have—take it or leave it.
"In this area, up to date, there is nothing planned for a PTA. But that does not mean that we shall not have to exercise some of the disciplines visualized in the Act. And one of those is quite obvious—that the area must be looked at as a whole and where economies and efficiency and better service to the public can be effected by better co-operation and co-ordination it is our duty to do so.
"I foresee the only changes you will see will be just those where companies with separate names can work together closer in a more friendly way and the public can get the very best without too much regard to the interest of individual companies but rather that of the area as a whole. I believe the old company loyalty that has existed in the past will ensure that this can be done."