Weeding Out Wasteful Competition
Page 32
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I S the Transport Act wishful thinking
or will thNte be a genuine effort to achieve efficient co-ordination? The question was asked by Mr. C. S. A. Wickens. M.Inst.B.E.. M.Inst.T., general manager, Luton Corporation transport department. in' the course of a talk given to the Omnibus Society last Friday in London.
Mr. Wickens said that there had been far too much wasteful competition in the past and that much of this still existed. There were many benefits in co-ordination.
He quoted the former London Passenger Transport Board as an example of improved efficiency and service to the public as a result of the amalgamation of many conflicting interests. Other well-known amalgamations, many between municipalities and private operators, were also mentioned. "I am a strong believer in unification," said Mr Wickens', an& added that operators shauld assist the B.T.C. In the past, legal restrictions had caused such anomalies in operation as the idleness of buses during off-peak periods, when neighbouring areas were in great need of transport. One operator could have met the demand in the other's area, but had no powers to do so.
Mr. Wickens thought that greater efforts should be made by manufacturers to meet operators' requirements.
In the discussicto that followed, there were criticisms and counter-criticisms of the idea of enlarging units, but there was common agreement that any system of co-ordination, unification or monopoly was dependent upon the institution of geographical areas of a workable size.
Mr. Wickens, elaborating on his theme, said that unification could not be enforced without legislation, but the intermediate stagwas to co-ordinate the undertakings of municipalities with those of companies.