LONDON TRAFFIC.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 47, 5 December 1929, Page 6

LONDON TRAFFIC.

THE UNIFICATION SCHEME. GREAT INTEREST AROUSED. (United Press Association— Copyright.) LONDON, December 3. Great interest has been aroused by the announcement made in the House of Commons by the Minister of Transport (Mr H. Morrison) that the Government is to draft a scheme for the unification of all London traffic services under public ownership. Details of the oroposals are keenly awaited, but they are not likely to be available for some time, as the subject is to be explored at once by the Transport Ministry with all the interests concerned in the 'London traffic services, including municipalities. . Mr Morrison, in his> statement, said that the Government agreed with the conclusions reached by the Traffic Advisory Committee that and unnecessary competition siiould be eliminated, and that a far-reaching measure of unification under public control is essential to progress. The Government believes "the ends in view could be fully achieved, and the public interest fully safeguarded only if the existing financial interests are consolidated by the susbtitution of a single and a simple form of public ownership for the complicated work of separate interests, private and municipal, which now add so greatly to the difficulties of the situation." In some political quarters the view is taken that the Government contemplates creating a public body on the lines of the Port of London Authority to co-ordinate and control the various passenger services; in others* it is assumed) that the creation of a public body that would buy out the existing passenger (tramway, omnibus and tube railway) services is intended. Comment in the Press and by traffic experts is reserved pending further details.—British Official Wireless.