§ 89. Mr. REMERasked the Minister of Transport if he is prepared to introduce a Bill to amend the Road Traffic Act so that the railway companies shall be debarred from opposing competitive road traffic services before the Traffic Commissioners?
§ Mr. CHARLETONI have been asked to reply. So recently as last year Parliament included in the Road Traffic Act, 1930, a definite provision that in deciding whether to grant or refuse a road service licence and whether to attach conditions to such a licence, the Traffic Commissioners should take into consideration any representations which might be made by persons already providing transport facilities along or near to the route or any part thereof. This provision is essential for the purpose of enabling passenger transport services to be coordinated, and my right hon. Friend does not propose to ask Parliament to amend it.
§ Mr. REMERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Minister, many times, while the Bill was going through Parliament, told us that it was not the proposal to kill competition on the roads? Will he make representations to the Minister that this matter is causing great anxiety among the travelling public?
§ Mr. CHARLETONI will inform my right hon. Friend of what the hon. Member has stated.