§ MR. CHARLES CRAIG (Antrim, S.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what has been the result of his communications with the Great Northern Railway of Ireland with reference to the controversy between the company and their second-class season-ticket-holders on the want of second-class accommodation on their motor trains; whether he can say if there are any cases in England or Scotland where a railway company, having three classes on its ordinary trains, has only first and third classes on its motor trains; and what regulations are made in these cases for the carriage of second-class ticket-holders.
§ (Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The company state that the motor service in question has been in operation over eighteen months, so that all holders of seasons tickets were aware, on taking their tickets, of the nature of the accommodation provided. They have also stated the number of trains and of motors, showing that together they provide an extended service. I am sending copies of the company's letters to the hon. Member and to the hon. Member for South Down. Several railway companies in Great Britain run motor cars on sections of their lines, either in substitution for or in addition to a service of ordinary trains conveying first, second, and third-class passengers. It is exceptional for such cars to afford accommodation for 21 more than two classes of passengers and in most cases they afford it for one class only. The Board of Trade are making inquiry in regard to the conditions of issue of season tickets by railway companies in these cases, and I will inform the hon. Member of the result.