Miners' Buses to be Subsidized?
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PONCESSIONS to miners have been Is—, costing the Rhondda Transport Co. £14,121 a year, Last Friday, the company applied to the South Wales Licensing Authority, Mr. H. G. Thom, for permission to charge ordinary fares on five special services operated by the company to various collieries. Even at higher fares, it was stated, a loss of 16,448 a year would be incurred.
Mr. T. G. Davies, general-manager, said that during the week ended January 28, two of the services incurred a loss of 15.19d. per bus-mile. By charging ordinary fares this deficit would be reduced by about 6d. a mile. Other services lost 14.96de 13.89d. and 6.19d. per bus-mile.
Mr. S. D. Herington, for the company, said that discussions had taken place with the National Coal Board, but little assistance had been given. The Board was not represented it the public inquiry, and the company regarded its absence as indicating that he proposed increased fares were regarded as reasonable: Mr. Davies said that, at present, miners Were being charged less than Id. a mile. The return fares at the increased level would still be less than lid. a mile, except for a few short distances.
Mr. Thom accepted that the company had done everything possible to come to an agreement with the Coa! Board for the provision of a subsidy. Mr. N. Moses, for the National Union of Mineworkers, suggested thaL the Rhondda Transport Co. was prosperous and could afford to run unremunerative services.
Mr. D. D. Evans, assistant secretary of the N.U.M., said that the standard wage of miners working above ground was £5 and of men working underground £5 15s. The proposed increase in fares would cause hardship.
Mr. Herington submitted that neither the public nor the transport company should be asked to bear the extra costs created by the policy of the National Coal Board in sending miners to work in collieries a long way from their homes. The industry itself should shoulder the burden. Mr. Evans, however, thought that the miners should not be called upon to bear the cost.
The bearing was adjourned, pending the examination of the Rhondda Transport Co.'s accounts.