LONDON TRAFFIC

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1929, Page 7

LONDON TRAFFIC

UNIFICATION PLAN. PULPY, Doe. 3. Croat interest lias boon aroused by _the announcement made in tbu House of Commons by the Transport Alinisei'j 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 proposals are keenly awaited, but v they are not likely to he available for some time, as the subject is to be explored at once 1 y the Tran«nort 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 uneconomic and unnecessary competition should he eliminated, and that a far-reahing 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 substitution of a single and a simple form of public ownership for the complicated work of separate interests, private aud 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

lilies 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 bv traffic experts is reserved, pending further details.