Mr. G. Brook, Crosville Chairman, gave the following speech:
"I am pleased to have been invited on this unique occasion to speak of Chairman of Crosville Motor Services Ltd."Today sees the fruitful result to be achieved when planners and public transport operators genuinely seek to work together as they have done in Runcorn where the new development has been planned around the public trasnport system with the Busway being provided as an integral part of it.
"Crosville came to Runcorn in 1919 and since then has steadily developed the present network of public transport with which today the Busway service is to be co-ordinated to set a new standard of convenience for the passenger.
"This is an exciting time for we may well have entered a new era in bus operation.
"The combination of regional routes with the Busway will provide the residents of the new town with a comprehensive timetabole of services to meet their requirements for travelling to and from work, and visiting the excellent facilites incorporated in the Regional Town Centre for leisure purposes and shopping. Special care ahs been taken to meet the requirements of mothers and children.
"Not only is the routing of the Busway so planned that there is a considerable saving in journey distance compared with traditional bus routes, but this is the first occasion the bus operator has had of competing on equal terms with the car. The average speed of the service on the Busway is 21 miles per hour compared with 11 miles per hour on conventional town bus services using normal roads.
"Crosville has started as it hopes to carry on, with a frequent service through the new regional communities to the shopping centre, and with the older parts of the town to be connected to the new town centre when the Regionla Bus Station is completed.
"The Crosville Company has worked very happily with thte Development Corporation in all the preparations culminating in the provision of the Busway service which is operating today. The Compnay is looking forward eagerly to the time when the remaining sections of the Busway are ready for use and the full pattern of planned services can be provided.
"I would echo the sentiments exoressed by the Chairman of the Development Corporation in that the whole concpet is a most promising new venture, and the Company will do everything within its powers to make the venture a success.
"From our point of view, however, its success will be measured ultimately by what out passengers think and do.
"However nice it may be for us to have the approval of planning and transport authorities here and abroad, what really matters is that our passengers will find the service to be suited to their needs."
The transcript above is from the Christmas 1971 edition of "Crosville United", the Crosville staff newspaper. Thanks go to Rob Richardson for providing me with a copy of this.