Quiet on National front
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IN SHARP contrast to the heated and emotional Press conference that marked the release of the controversial PA report on IT management an air of calm pervaded that given by the National Bus Company to announce the publication of its annual fiancial report, writes NOEL MILLIER.
NBC chairman Lord Shepherd presented the report and spoke of a £6.2m surplus which was achieved despite the severe weather and fuel supply problems of 1979.
Lord Shepherd claimed that otherwise NBC would have had a record-breaking year.
However, NBC seemed slightly apprehensive of the future. but said it was confident that, given a fair chance, it could meet the challenges presented by the current Transport Bill.
Lord Shepherd added that the introduction of new competition and trial areas may force Group companies to stop crosssubsidising socially desirable services with the profits from better used routes, and that this could lead to some services being abandoned.
The planned demise of new bus grant could lead to an increasing shortfall in "current cost accountancyterms, and has caused NBC to look at the
life expectancy of its new buses.
NBC Leyland Nationals are now to be retained for a 16 year service life and the Leyland B45 decker, soon to be announced and expected to replace NBCs current standard Bristol VRT, is likely to be costed at a 20-year life.