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Concessionary Fares BY FRANK BU RRAVOE CONCESSIONARY fares on municipal

3rd April 1964, Page 69
3rd April 1964
Page 69
Page 69, 3rd April 1964 — Concessionary Fares BY FRANK BU RRAVOE CONCESSIONARY fares on municipal
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Fare, Pricing

%,--• buses are to be the subject of parliamentary attention once more. On April 15, Capt. Edward W. Short (Labour member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central) is to make yet another of his so far unsuccessful attempts to loosen the knots of the Public Service Vehicles (Travel Concessions) Act of 1955. Year after year he tries to get the House of Commons to adopt his brainchild of an amending Bill, but year after year M.P.s kick it off their doorstep.

The Act came into force after the Appeal Court had given its decision in the case of Prescott v. Birmingham Cor poration. Mr. Prescott, a ratepayer, challenged the legality of the Corporation's resolution to give free travel to the aged on its transport system. Finding in his favour, the Court declared that municipally operated transport undertakings were not entitled "to make a gift to a particular class of persons of rights of free travel on their vehicles simply bacause the local authority concerned was of the opinion that the favoured class of persons ought, on benevolent or philanthropic grounds, to be accorded that benefit ".

As other municipalities providing their own passenger transport were either already granting or contemplating the grant -of free or cheap transport for the aged without possessing the necessary power to do so, there was understandable alarm in some circles at the judgment. The Travel Concessions Act had to be

hurriedly passed. This did two main things—at one and the same time it both enabled and restricted. It legalized old concessions provided they had been introduced before December 1, 1954, but it also prevented new ones from being granted, except by the costly and lengthy promotion of a private parliamentary Bill by each local authority which felt inclined to go to that expense and trouble.

In the debate there was a good deal of talk about removing the issue of concessionary bus fares from local politics. " It would be deplorable ", it was said, 4if the two parties at local elections were to compete for the support of a class of electors by putting forward

promises of this kind. . ".

The Act created some anomalies and perpetuated many inconsistencies. It left vexatious differences in concessions between neighbouring municipal operators; prevented inequalities from being ironed out on joint services; did nothing to bring municipal and company practices into line; and it causes violent headaches whenever municipal boundaries are altered. But it does at least stop political bidding for votes by promises of further favours in fares.

It is probably safe to say that most general managers and professional advisers of bus undertakings would not welcome any relaxation of the provisions of the Act which would once more bring concessionary fares into the realm of local party politics. The Traffic Commissioners would probably not he effusive about relaxation, either, if the views of the chairman of the South-Eastern Traffic Commissioners are at all representa tive. Mr. H. J. Thom has declared publicly, when dealing with fares, that "much as we sympathize with old-age pensioners ... there is nothing we can do to assist them. If any hardships are attached to a particular section of the community, it is not for the rest of the travelling public to deal with it. It is for the Government or some other body to take the necessary measures ".

The attitude of passengers and ratepayers is less easy to fathom. Most might demur if faced with the prospect of directly contributing, whether by means of higher fares or higher rates, towards more free rides or more cheap subsidized fares for selected classes of persons, however sympathetic they might feel about the intended recipients. But disguise the transaction into the bestowal of political benefits which are to come from some vague, undisclosed source, and large numbers of those self-same passengers and ratepayers would probably applaud the arrangement.

If Mr, Short does not succeed this time with his amending Bill, he might as well abandon his child, for never before has the climate been more favourable:

In any case, Mr. Short may as well exclude from his Bill the City of Glasgow, for concessionary fares will no longer be necessary there if a resolution of the Glasgow City Labour Party comes into effect. The resolution demands the introduction of an entirely free municipal transport service. Not even " iron curtain" countr:es have been so audacious. They will be sending delegations to Glasgow.


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