THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Continuing economic difficulties for Ulster Transport Authority
A short statement on the affairs of the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) was expected to be made to Stormont by the Minister of Commerce Mr William McCleery in the coming week, reported the News Letter on this day in 1951.
The information had been given by Colonel Gordon, Leader of the House, in reply to a question asked by Mr Wilton in the Ulster Senate.
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Hide AdMr Wilton had asked what steps the Government proposed to take in the view of statements which had been made which indicated that the UTA had suffered “very heavy financial losses”.
Mr Wilton continued to say that the public were getting alarmed and were awaiting with great interest what the Government had to say on the matter.
Sir George Clarke asked if the Government was prepared to consider, in conjunction with the new Eire government, the question of setting up a joint board of arbitration to deal with the purchase of the Great Northern Railway (GNR).
Meanwhile, at a meeting of the Belfast Chamber of Trade the UTA was also the subject of discussions reported the News Letter.
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Hide AdDuring the meeting Mr J Glover had remarked that an entire reorganisation of the UTA was needed.
He said the organisation was top heavy, he asked: “Why doesn’t the Government face up to the facts and throw freight carriage back to private enterprise? The UTA can’t justify every penny it charges on the present basis. We want to get rid of the UTA altogether.”