Northern Scheme Proposals Revealed,
Page 28
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Six Authorities, a Board and 130 Private Undertakings to be Absorbed F'OLLOWING its consultations with local authorities and operators, in I accordance with the general policy to review passenger and road transport in Great Britain, the Road Transport Executive has drawn up a proposed scheme for passenger road transport in the Northern area.
Main features of the proposed scheme are as follows:—
An area board will be established to assist the Commission in the administration of the scheme. This board will be given powers to ensure the greatest possible measure of decentralization of management.
Public opinion will have representation on the area board, and consultative committees will be set up in each district. Members of these committees will be appointed by the Commission from a panel of persons nominated by county and local councils.
Arrangements will be made with the Railway Executive to co-ordinate road and rail services.
Provision is made for the continuation of the existing services wholly or partly within the area, not to be transferred to the Commission under the scheme.
If the scheme be approved by the Minister, theopassenger transport undertakings of six local authorities, at Darlington, Middlesbrough, Newcastleupon-Tyne, South Shields, Stockton-onTees, •Sunderland and West Hartlepool, and the Tees-side Railless Traction Board would be transferred.
Also to be transferred would be 130 private undertakings, including the Gateshead and District Tramways Co., Ltd., Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., -Sunderland and District Omnibus Co., Ltd., Tynemouth and District Transport Co., Ltd., Venture Transport Co. (Newcastle), Ltd., and United AutomobiLi Services, Ltd.
.In the case of the last-named concern, the whole undertaking would be vested in the Commission except for certain services to be transferred to Cumberland ,Motor Services, Ltd.; and the Nest Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd.
The consultations with interested parties in the Northern area were made by a sub-committee of the Road Transport Executive consisting of Mr. G. Cardwell, Mr. A. Henderson and Mr.
W. Beckett. The newly constituted Road Passenger Executive is now responsible for the proposed scheme, which will be submitted to the Minister of Transport in due course after possible alterations made in the light of observations or representations received.
The area affected by the proposed scheme comprises the counties of Cumberland. Durham and most of the North Riding of Yorkshire. The number of municipally operated buses concerned in the proposed scheme is approximately 880.
On. page 107 of this issue we publish a résumé of the reactions of various parties concerned by the proposals.