80. Mr. MORRISONasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Metropolitan and Southern Omnibus Companies, two subsidiary companies of the London Traffic Combine, are operating their present services without having submitted schedules as required by the London Traffic Act; and whether 'proceedings will be instituted against these companies for non-compliance with the Act?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for HOME AFFAIRS (Mr. Godfrey Locker-Lampson)I have made inquiry, and a would seem that any breach of the law that may have been committed is a purely technical one for which there could be no question of taking proceedings. The matter has now been put right.
Mr. MORRISONDoes the hon. Gentleman not realise that mistakes of this character are creating a widespread feeling among the smaller omnibus owners that the Traffic Act is being administered with a bias in favour of the combine.
§ Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONWhat happened fn this case was that there was first deposited a schedule covering these two companies' routes, and it was afterwards omitted to amend the schedule. It was purely a technical error and was immediately put right.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs the hon. Gentleman aware of the very onerous demands that are made upon the small omnibus owners in connection with these schedules; that 50 copies of a schedule, properly filled in, are required from a man who has been driving his own omnibus all day, and will he remember that the small man has no clerical assistance?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat seems to be quite a new question, and should be put down.
81. Mr. MORRISONasked the Minister of Transport whether new scheduled routes for omnibuses, approved under the London Traffic Act since 1st January, are to be withdrawn, notwithstanding the fact that they are not adding traffic to the congested areas?
§ Colonel ASHLEYUnder an Order and Provisional Regulations made in pursuance of Section 7 of the London Traffic Act certain streets in the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District have been declared to be "restricted streets" and the numbers of omnibuses which may ply for hire on the streets have been limited to the numbers which might have been so plying on 1st January in accordance with the deposited schedules then in force. Any schedules which may have been deposited with the Commissioner of Police since the 1st January will require to be amended where such schedules would involve any additions to the numbers of omnibuses on any of the "restricted streets."