R.T.E. Chairman's "No Rise in Bus Fares"—Yet: Operators Reply
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THE statement made by Major ' HE G. N. Russell, chairman of the Road Transport Executive, at Newcastle last week, that rumours of a rise in bus fares were without foundation so far as the Executive was concerned. brought a reply within 24 hours from Major G. W. Hayter, general manager of Northern General Transport Co., Ltd.
"The General points out," says Major Hayter, "that there is no intention of raising bus fares or lowering rail fares at the moment.' Yet it is not so very long ago that his chief, Sir Cyril Hurcomb, speaking on the same point, said:* A nationalized undertaking has a certain obligation to treat its customers so far as possible on the same "What can this possibly mean, except that where competition has been eliminated, bus fares will be arbitrarily raised to offset the huge loss on British Railways? Of course, the General can say *at the moment.' The Executive would
hardly dare to raise fares in one area while municipal and private enterprise bus undertakings elsewhere were operating at their-present low fare level."
Major-General Russell, contends Major Hayter, appeared to be disseminating the idea that there must be nationalization schemes ultimately all over Great Britain in order to comply with the Transport Act. "This," he says, "is quite fallacious. Private services are efficient and properly coordinated. It is not the duty of the Executive to disturb them."
Mr. Peter Yorke, director of the British Omnibus Public Relations Committee, has made a statement on similar lines. He adds that the control of fares by the Transport Tribunal is an "illusory protection." The Tribunal could be side-tracked at any time by a general directive of the Minister of Transport.
The conference at Newcastle which gave rise to these comments is reported on pages 593-596.