"Give Buses Traffic Priority
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THE chairman of B.E.T. Omnibus Services, Ltd., Mr. John Spencer Wills, on Monday called for action to give priority to public transport on congested roads. In at least 50 of the largest cities of the world priority in one form or another was already given to the mass carrier, said Mr. Wills.
Sometimes it was a reserved lane or an exclusive right for such vehicles to turn left or right, or again it might be privileges at intersections or traffic signs. So far this country was way behind in its thinking over this problem. He knew of no such examples of official awareness of the importance of the bus and its need for encouragement. " I sincerely hope that the powers that be will see the light before it is too late," Mr. Wills added.
The cost of wages and fuel oil accounted for 80 per cent. of the total operating costs for a bus. The present wages bill was some 23 per cent, higher than it was at the beginning of 1960. Attacking the latest increase in fuel tax, Mr. Wills said: "I find it totally impossible to understand the almost savage discrimination which has been shown against our industry and its passengers who, one way or another, will have to foot the bill."