0.P.P.A. Free From Party Polities
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ONE of the strongest points of the Omnibus Passengers Protection Association was that the case it represented was entirely free from party politics, said Mr. C. H. Vincent, M.B.E., chairman, at a function held in Darlington last week to celebrate 0.P.P.A.'s second anniversary.
"in the early days of the campaign," he continued, "when the (Transport) Act was not generally understood, we had great difficulty in convincing people that this was the case. In particular, some left-wing councillors, although strong upholders of municipal enterprise, felt they could not oppose area schemes which would deprive them of control over their local transport without being disloyal to the principle of nationalization normally favoured by their party.
"That this position later became better understood is evidenced by the 'wrecking' amendm.ents to the proposed area scheme which were put forward by nearly all the local authorities in the north-east. irrespective of which party controlled them, last autumn."
Mr. Vincent welcomed the Socialistcontrolled Doncaster corporation as an opponent of nationalization. 0.P.P.A. now has 113,000 members and 19 branch committees.