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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1974
PUBLIC OMNIBUS SERVICES BILL 1975
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THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO ALLOW BUS COMPANIES TO CONDUCT THEIR AFFAIRS IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO MEET ADEQUATELY THEIR RECURRENT COMMITMENTS AS WELL AS PROVIDE AND OBTAIN FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW BUSES AND EQUIPMENT.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY WHEN HE MOVED THE SECOND READING OF THE PUBLIC OMNIBUS SERVICES BILL 1975 WHICH SEEKS TO EMPOWER THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL TO ISSUE FRANCHISES TO BUS COMPANIES FOR INITIAL PERIODS OF UP TO TEN YEARS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT AIMED TO OBTAIN MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OVER BUS OPERATIONS UNDER THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, IT WAS ALSO CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR THE OPERATIONS OF BUS COMPANIES TO BE COMMERCIALLY VIABLE.
PROVISION HAD BEEN MADE, HE SAID, FOR A LEVY ON PROFITS TO BE IMPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL, BUT THIS WOULD ONLY BE INVOKED IF THERE WERE EXCESS PROFITS AFTER DUE PROVISION HAD BEEN MADE FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW BUSES AND OTHER CAPITAL EXPENDITURE WHICH WAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE EFFICIENT BUS OPERATIONS.
+THE PROVISION FOR A LEVY ON PROFITS IS, THEREFORE, SEEN ESSENTIALLY AS A FURTHER CONTROL MEASURE.+
MR. HOBLEY TOLD COUNCIL THAT FARES WOULD CONTINUE TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL.
+THE FREQUENCY OF BUS SERVICES ON EACH ROUTE, AND THE PASSENGER CAPACITY AND TYPE OF BUSES TO BE USED, WILL BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, WHO MAY VARY HIS REQUIREMENTS AS NEED ARISES AND WITH DUE REGARD TO THE NUMBER OF BUSES AVAILABLE,+ HE SAID.
MR. HOBLEY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT BUS ROUTES NEEDED TO BE CHANGED FROM TIME TO TIME AND THAT THERE WAS A STEADY DEMAND FOR THE PROVISION OF NEW SERVICES.
UNDER THE BILL, TEMPORARY ROUTE ALTERATIONS AND TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL SERVICES, FOR A TOTAL PERIOD NOT EXCEEDING TWO YEARS, WILL HAVE TO BE PROVIDED BY GRANTEES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT.
HOWEVER, PERMANENT CHANGES IN ROUTES AND THE PERMANENT PROVISION OF SERVICES ON ADDITIONAL ROUTES WILL BE IN THE CONTROL OF THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL AS THE AUTHORITY BY WHICH A FRANCHISE WAS FIRST GRANTED.
THE BILL ALSO