Rural Council Buses Move by M.P.
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I ACK of action on the Jack Report has
led Mr. Raymond Gower (Cons., Barry) to seek Commons' permission to introduce a Bill to give rural councils powers to run their own bus services and charge deficits to the rates, Scheduled for introduction next Wednesday, the Bill is supported by three Conservatives—Rupert Speir (Hexham), Bryant Godman Irvine (Rye) and Julian Ridsdale (Harwich)— and three Socialists, including Mr. Harold Davies (Leek).
The Bill would remove the need for local councils to promote costly private Bills to get bus-service powers, and while applications would still have to go to the Traffic Commissioners, Mr. Gower remarked this week that where, for example, the B.T.C. or B.E.T. had recently closed services down, the Commissioners would provide no barrier.
Asked if there was any pressure from local authorities to run services, Mr. Gower said they were divided about this. and the smaller ones, in particular, lacked enthusiasm; but no council had to use the authority the Bill would give them if passed.