B.T.C. Deficiencies
Page 31
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Explained
"IT is the interval of time between I the date at which nationalized transport has had to suffer increased costs and the date at which, through one piece of machinery or another, it has been able to secure necessary upward adjustments of its charges that ' is the main explanation of our accumulated deficiencies. There is, I believe, a growing recognition of this fact. If a basic industry like transport is to pay its way, and discharge its duty of providing an adequate and economic national system, its finances must be set and kept upon firm ground, and it should not be left month after month to provide service below cost and, in effect, to subsidize other industries or social services."
Lord Hurcomb, chairman of the British Transport Commission, made this statement when he spoke at a mayoral luncheon at Swansea this week.
Fares increases Referring to road passenger transport, he said "After many years of stabilized bus fares, made possible by consistently high loadings, most passenger undertakings have had to apply in recent months to the Licensing Authorities for increase in fares. Our companies have done no more than the municipal and the private-enterprise operators have been forced to do, in the face of higher wages, and dearer fuel, tyres and stores. A recent letter to the Press wrongly asserted that such increases in fares have been confined to the Commission-owned companies; allow me, therefore, to point out that in the last three years there have been 80 major applications for higher fares by municipal road undertakings, a similar number by other companies and operators, and 25 by undertakings wholly owned by the Commission."
Over great areas of the country, regular bus services had been rationalized and co-ordination with rail improved. The R.H.E., after "a year of exceptional difficulty," was completing acquisitions, and Lord Hurcomb believed it would henceforth show good results.
' OPERATORS TO SHARE CATIERICK TRAFFIC
W'WITH a suggestion that the companies should meet to decide upon a fair allocation of licences, the Northern Licensing Authority adjourned a hearing at which a number of applications for licences to run services from Catterick camp was to have been heard.
The applicants were Messrs. Sunter Bros., Percival Bros. (Coaches), Ltd., Messrs. F. Scott, United Automobile Services, Ltd., and Messrs. M. Hardy. The Authority said that some companies had been operating from the camp without licences until they realized that it was not bona fide contract work. As they had shown good faith by applying for licences, proceedings would not be taken against them.
The hearing of the application of Messrs. Hardy was completed.