CAB128-94_A1b — Page 50

ONFIDENT

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Yondan

CONFIDENTIAL

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advertising campaign aimed at persuading NUR and ASLEF members and the general public that this was the right course. In the short term he was considering what further steps could be taken to help commuters: a decision would have to be made within the next 24 hours on whether to make available, at 3 days notice, some 7,000 additional parking spaces in central London, for example in Royal Parks, with an equivalent number further out from where commuters could be bussed to the centre. The police had so far, however, been opposed to such a step on the grounds that provision of extra parking would attract more cars into central Pondon, so worsening traffic problems. He would see other more buses could be made available, especially in although they were in short supply because of the pormal demand. For the longer term, the Chairman of don Regional Transport had been asked to speed up putting out more London bus routes to competitive tender: it was noteworthy that there had been no industrial action so far on any of the 25 per cent of London bus routes which were already operated under tender. It would also be possible privatise London Buses completely but legislation would be needed

ld be needed to safeguard the present concessionary fares system, the loss of which would be highly damaging to public support for privatisation. Overall, the managements of the three transport undertakings affected by the industrial action were fully justified in these they were taking to modernise working practices, and deserved firm support.

In discussion the following main points were made: ay pain points were made:

a.

It was becoming singly difficult to explain to the general public why no special measures to assist commuters, such as opening additional car parks, were being taken. On the other t the police's concern about the possibility of

adding to traffic problems, either in the centre or on key approach routes to London, was understandable, and might well be justified in the light of past experience. The police were also bound to have in mind the experience of the day of the Old Bailey and other terrist bombings, which demonstrated the opportunity (such circumstances provided to terrorists. One way of possibly minimising the traffic problem might be to use an additional parking spaces for buses rather than cars.

b.

Other possible ways of easing problems such as staggering working hours and journey encouraging car sharing, needed to be examined.

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