Minister Pressed for Decision on Fares
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AFTER a number of informal discus
• sions with the Ministry of Transport, the Public Transport Association
and the Passenger Vehicle. Operators' Association are still awaiting a decision on fare problems, confronting • their members. They have asked for some arrangement to permit fares to be increased without prior' consent from
the Traffic Commissioners. .
First move . by the two groups was made in July," when the full impact of the busmen's pay awards was known. A deputation met the Minister to put forward a scheme similar to that operated during the Suez crisis.
When no statement was issued by the
!vfinister it was thought in the industry that the deputation had failed. But Mr. R. L. Howlett. secretary of the P.T.A., said this week: "The proposals were certainly not turned down."
In the hope of obtaining an early decision, the Associations have now, submitted a modified scheme to the Minister, .which is still being studied. The organizations confirmed this week that they had not received a reply about the new proposals, although it was expected that the Minister's, decision would 'be made known this month.. .
GRANT TOO GENEROUS, BUT ALLOWED TO STAND
A LTHOUGH he apparently regards a grant by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners to Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., as too generous. the Minister of Transport, on appeal. has decided not to interfere with it. The
British Transport Commission appealed against the grant to the company of additional tours from Scarborough and Hull to London. , As the licences' expire on November
30:and hardship might be causetl.Jo "the public by. cancelling departures for which they had already;b0-oked, the Minister has not ordered .the Commissioners to reduce -the numbee of occasions on which, , the tours were authorized to be run. A reduction was recommended by Mr. L M: Glen, who heard the appeal.
The Minister accepts, Mr. Glen's con
clusion 'that, although some grant is justifiable, it should 'belimited, and that grants of tours to London, in future years ,should depend-, on concrete evidence of an effective public demand for additional facilities.
B.T.C. PARTY FOR AMERICA
ONNoiember 20, Sir '.Brian Robertson, chairman of the British Transport Commission; and Maj.-Gen. G. N. Russell, chairman of , British Road Services, •are leaving for North America to study road and rail transport. Other members of the party will be Mr. T. H. Summerson, a member of the Commission. Mr. J. Ratter, technical adviser, and Mr. H. A. Short, general manager of the North-east Region of British Railways.