68. Captain COOTEasked the Minister of Transport whether he can give figures showing the demurrage paid on trucks loaded with agricultural produce at the London termini during the month of January, 1920: and whether any considerable delay is still being experienced between the times of arrival and unloading of such trucks?
§ Sir E. GEDDESSeparate details with regard to demurrage on trucks loaded with agricultural produce at the London termini are not available. The returns for the month of January, 1920, are not yet complete, but from the information already received it would appear that although there has been some decrease in the detention of trucks the delays are still heavy.
70. Captain COOTEasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the continued danger to perishable agricultural produce caused by railway delays, he will advise the railway companies to run produce trains at scheduled times from and to scheduled places upon the same system as passenger trains, at least for a definite period?
§ Sir E. GEDDESFreight trains for perishable traffic are already run at scheduled times from the producing centres to the principal towns. It must be realised that if services corresponding to passenger train service are provided, the cost would be also increased, and the greater the extension of priority working the far greater the delay to less favoured traffic.