Council's opportunist bus policy slammed
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WEST MIDLANDS Traffic Commissioners have attacked the way Hereford and Worcester County Council has gone about planning the transport of schoolchildren between Cradley and Ledbury.
The Commissioners were considering applications for short-term stage carriage services by C. G. & D. Morris, trading as Morris's Coaches of Bromyard, and F. W. B. & M. Sterry, trading as Smith's Motors of Ledbury.
The applications resulted from a County decision to switch the carriage of the children from stage services operated by Midland Red to a contract basis in order to save money. The result was that Midland Red withdrew certain stage journeys.
Morris was seeking a service between Bromyard and Ledbury via Cradley, with certain journeys extended to Hereford. Smiths had originally sought a service between Cradley and Ledbury but later extended it to one from Bromyard. They also sought authority to carry the general public on a works contract service between Bishops `Frome and Ledbury.
The chairman of the commissioners, Arthur Crabtree, commented that the Education Department had decided to economise by switching to a contract basis despite the fact it would deprive the public of a service.
For the County Council, Mr M. D. T. Hartman said that the County had looked closely at the matter in the light of proposed Midland Red withdrawals. It felt that there was little demand for public services between Cradley and Ledbury, and any facilities would have to be based on the schools services.
It was likely that Morris would get the contract as its tender was the lowest. If the operation showed promise after three months, the County would be prepared to subsidise it. Mr Crabtree said this showed how complicated the co-ordination of rural transport was. The County's thinking appeared to be based on the fact that Morris's tender was the lowest, yet Smith could reduce dead mileage by utilising a vehicle already based at Bromyard. What would happen in the furure if rural co-ordination was planned on such an adhoc basis?
Granting the Morris application. Mr Crabtree said the County had a big responsibility and would play a key role in the future in the coordination of rural transport under the new Act.
The Education Department could not carry on acting in isolation, its requirements would have to be considered in the light of co-ordination as a whole.