MOTOR-BUS TAXATION.

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 14

MOTOR-BUS TAXATION.

Lord Ashfield, chairman of the Underground Electric Railway Group, London, including railway and motor road services, in his recent speech to shareholders referred to the high taxation of motor services. "Even allowing for the exigencies of the times," he said, "it is surely unreasonable to find . that motor-omnibuses of the standard London type are taxed to the extent of £373 per vehicle per annum. This requires the fares of nearly two and a half passengers for every mile that the omnibuses travel. Last year the full brunt of the increased tax on petrol, imposed in the year, was not felt. For the present year the total petrol tax will amount roundly to £1,000,000 for the London General Omnibus Company alone, and the full burden of taxation, local and national, to be met by the common fund companies will be almost £1,800,000. Taxation has indeed become the most grievous element in our budget. It is one that we can do nothing to lessen, for I doubt whether we could, by any alteration in our fares and charges, pass this burden on to the shouldders of the travelling public. In my judgment, it amounts in the aggregate to a far greater burden than can equitably be imposed upon this group of companies, which are supplying public needs, are exercising all possible economies in. their expenditure, and are paying most modest dividends." The company abandoned seventeen miles of tramways, installing trolleybuses in their place.