Opposition to Area Scheme Grows
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HE Road Transport Executive's three-man working party, set up
to deal with the north-eastern area road passenger Lansport scheme, arrived in Newcastle on Monday last. Two days earlier the Executive
announced a thange.in membership. Mr. A. T. Evans, director and general manager of United Automobile Services, Ltd.. has been replaced by Mr. A. Henderson, full-tire member of the Executive. The other two members of the working party are Mr. G. Cardwell. a full-time member of the R.T.E., as chairman, and Mr. W. Becketta parttime member of the Executive.
Since the original inquiry into this schttne in Newcastle on December 21, operators in the area have been active in organizing opposition. These activities .aulrninated in a meeting last week. organized by tile local branch of the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association
Expert Advice
At this meeting it was explained that the Association had introduced a scheme to secure expert legal advice at all stages, so that a uniform policy on fundamental principles affecting the compulsory acquisition of any undertaking would be ensured.
This legal advice, it was pointed out, would be available to all operators, whether members of the P.V.O.A. or not, and they Were invited to communicate direct With the Association's appointed solicitor, Mr. T. H. C. Wardlaw, whose office address from February, 1 will be 4, Market Street, Newcastle.
Individual operators who receive an invitation to meet the working party sub-committee have been advised by the Association immediately to request certain information. They should ask (a) for details of the matters which the sub-committee wishes to discuss, and tb) whether the meeting is to be assumed to be the official consultative stage laid down in the Act.
Legal Representation
It was also suggested that operators should inforth Mr. Wardlaw if they were invited to meetthe working party sub-committee, to discuss it with him confidentially, and ask Mr. Wardlaw to attend the interview with them. There would be no legal cost to the operator in the preliminary stages.
After the meeting, Mr. R. G. Hunter, general secretary of the Northern Road Transport Owners' Association, which he said included 48 per cent, of the independent operators affected by the scheme, stated that his Association was to meet the working part on January 31.
It is understood that the working party met representatives of South Shields Town Council last Monday. On February 4 it is starting a survey of the whole working of Sunderland Corporation Transport Department.
After a conference with members of the town council and officials, it is hoped that the members of the working A28 party may see for themselves the types of vehicle that department has in operation and the extent of its serv:ceS.
A branch committee of the Omnibus Passengers' Protection Association, which is bitterly opposed to the nationalization of road passenger transport, was last week set up in Sunderland. Mr. C. V. H. Vineent, chairman of the national committee, said that under nationalization the public would be burdened not only with higher fares, but also with higher rates, because of the loss 'of valuable transport properties.
Da rlington Transport Committee has recommended that in any scheme for road passenger transport co-ordination in the north-east, local-gOvernment authorities should be allowed to retain control of their transport undertakings.
• Stockton-on-Tees Corporation has protested against not beinl invited to attend the meeting at Newcastle on December 21. The local M.P. has been asked to see the Minister of Transport on the matter.
MORE LEYLAND FACTORIES OVERSEAS
VI ORE production plants are to be set IVI up overseas by Leyland Motors, Ltd. Mr. Henry Spurrier, general manager, left Southampton by flyingboat, last Friday, on a 40,000-mile tour, which will include South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. the United States and Canada.
The main purpose of the trip is to arrange to set up factories for the manufacture of certain Leyland. vehicle parts, to extend facilities already existing for chassis assembly, and to make satisfactory arrangements for the supply of bodywork of all types. Plant already exists in Canada.
Mr. Spurrier will spend three weeks in each country. .
TROUBLE BREWING OVER 30 M.P,H. PROPOSALS
THERE seems little likelihood that a decision on the raising of the speed limit of heavy goods vehicles to 30 m.p.h.will be reached in the near future, and certainly not before March I, the date on which, it has been widely reported, the Minister of Transport intended to make the Order effective.
It is now understood that the Transport and General Workers' Union -is seriously reconsidering its attitude towards the proposals and is likely to withdraw from its alleged agreement with representatives of the employers and a majority group of the workers.
The T.G.W.U.. through the National Joint Industrial Council, has set up a committee which is working on a formula of running schedules for all vehicles which might be affected by a change the speed limit. It has already been agreed, says the Union, that the Workers' earnings will not be reduced_ [In the January 14 issue of "The Commercial Motor," a. special correspondent described a threat by lorry drivers to call a strike if the speed limit were raised. Considerable unrest among the union's rank-andfile was reported and many transfers, it was said, were being made to other unions.]
NUFFIELD TRACTOR SALES
T TNDER a centralization scheme introduced by the.Nuffield Organisation, sales and service of the Nuffield. tractor will be taken over by Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., Adderley Park, Birmingham, but manufacture will continue at Ward End, Birmingham.