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Anxiety in Municipal Transport

5th July 1935, Page 23
5th July 1935
Page 23
Page 23, 5th July 1935 — Anxiety in Municipal Transport
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

C0-ORDINATION in municipal passenger transport—the subject which inspired many conflicting views at the recent annual conference of the Municipal Tramways and Transport Association—has become one of the greatest problems of local-government administration, consideration of which can no longer be deferred. Many of those intimately concerned with municipal transport are convinced that, unless co-ordination be effected voluntarily in the near future, it will be enforced externally by the Traffic Commissioners or, perhaps, even by the Government.

Even in local transport the day of self-sufficiency is long past, and the parochial view can no longer be tolerated. With the clearance of slum areas, . towns and cities are rapidly extending their boundaries and are becoming more closely united with their neighbours. In such circumstances it is obvious that petty jealousy between towns, concerning transport rights, must become increasingly damaging to the interests of the public, as well as dangerous to the councils themselves, ' for the Traffic Commissioners may call upon the parties involved to make sacrifices, for the public benefit, considerably greater than might be necessary under an amicable scheme of co-ordination.

The foundation upon which co-ordination must be effected is friendly co-operation. A cordial atmosphere between the parties concerned will smooth out many difficulties which might otherwise appear to be insuperable. The principle upon which any scheme is to be based depends upon local conditions, but the experience of those authorities which have reached inter-working agreements with other operators, company and municipal, points to the desirability of some form of co-ordination in local passenger transport, in the interests of both the travelling public and economic administration. Reduced mileage and increased revenue, relative or actual, are the usual results of inter-working arrangements, under which the individual interests need not lose their identities.

Co-ordination by confiscation 's the fear that should prompt every municipal-transport operator to devote to the subject the serious attention that it merits. At the M.T.T.A. conference there were many disquieting, although unqualified, hints of possible outside interference with municipal transport, and a confidential, veiled remark by one speaker—who rightly trusted that the Press, in its discretion, would not report it—struck an ominous note.

If the Government, or any :,ther Euthorized body, be considering a plan for road passenger transport, it should be announced, for the public and the providers of travel facilities have a right to know, in good time, what the near future holds in store for them. The feeling of uncertainty which appears to exist in some quarters is damaging to the industry and tends to destroy public confidence. It should be allayed with the minimum of delay.


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