§ 70. Mr. HOFFMANasked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the public dissatisfaction at the overcrowding of trains, he will appoint a Committee to make inquiries with a view to providing a remedy for this state of things?
§ Mr. GOSLINGThe general question of overcrowding on trains is not one that could usefully be investigated by a Committee. I would remind my hon. Friend that it is open to the local authorities and representative bodies to apply to the Railway and Canal Commission for orders requiring railway companies to afford reasonable services and facilities.
§ Mr. HOFFMANWill the hon. Gentleman indicate that decision to the local authorities; and is he aware, so great is the grievance upon this question, that if he can do anything the whole travelling British public will rise up and call him blessed?
§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in trains running in the north of England sometimes as many as from 50 to 100 people have to stand throughout long jouurneys?
§ Mr. BUCHANANIs the hon. Gentleman aware that travellers from London to Glasgow, for instance, are not necessarily residents of London or of other places served by the train and, therefore, the local authorities have nothing to do with them; and will he make inquiries into the case of a train which recently carried Sabbath School delegates from London to Glasgow which was grossly overcrowded and was an insult to the travelling public.
§ Mr. GOSLINGIf the feeling is as described by the hon. Member for South Eastern Essex (Mr. Hoffman) and if the public are outraged, then they will know that the remedy is either by organisation or through the local authorities, to go to the tribunual I have mentioned.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI give notice that I intend to raise this question on the first available opportunity.