§ 20 Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he can now make any statement as to the running of excursion trains by the various railway companies; whether it is proposed to run any such trains during the present year; if so, about what date, by what companies, and to what places; can he state on what basis the approximate 10 excursion fare will be fixed, whether on an extra percentage over pre-War fares or on the principle of a double journey for a present single fare;
(2) whether he has now approached all the railway companies on the matter of excursion trains; whether some of the companies are against giving such facilities; whether the southern companies are willing to provide such trains, and, if so, will he authorise the railway companies willing to meet the desires of the public to supply such trains forthwith; can he state if societies like the National Sunday League, who in pre-War times were given special rates for holiday trains by certain companies, will be allowed to have such facilities now; and if special rates for trains can be given to such societies so as to enable them to issue cheap day railway trips as before the War?
§ Sir E. GEDDESI am glad to be able to state that arrangements have been made under which special "Holiday Day Excursion" trains, available to all members of the public without distinction, at fares less than the ordinary fares, will be run at an early date—possibly in the week commencing 16th August—by the principal railway companies, with the exception of the Caledonian, Cambrian, Glasgow and South Western, Great Western, London and North Western, London and South Western, and North British Railways. [HON. MEMBERS: Which are left?] Some of the latter companies may be in a position to run such trains at a later date.
The conditions under which these special trains will be run are as follow:
- 1. The tickets to be available for both the outward and return journey on the date of issue only, and by the scheduled public excursions trains only.
- 2. The fare to be charged to be the single ordinary fare in operation for the time being for the double journey; fractions of 3d. to be reckoned as 3d.
- 3. No luggage to be allowed.
- 4. The trips to be run during mid-week only and to be available to the public generally; they should be for purely holiday traffic, and only introduced from centres of population to holiday resorts.
§ Mr. GILBERTCan the right hon. Gentleman state if on these excursion trains the companies will book tickets three or four days ahead, so that people can secure their places?
§ Sir E. GEDDESI should like notice of that question.
§ Sir E. GEDDESIt is not a question of nationality, but of the ability of the railways to supply the locomotives.
§ Sir E. GEDDESI do not think I can answer anything further than I have done, which is a good deal.