HC Deb 01 July 1931 vol 254 cc1264-5
28. Mr. McSHANE

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the inconvenience and discontent caused by the regulation limiting the number of people allowed to stand in motor omnibuses to the number of five, particularly in sparsely-populated districts in wet weather and also elsewhere during rush hours; and whether, especially since many such omnibuses have been specially designed to allow a greater number to stand, he will have this regulation in some way modified?

Mr. HERBERT MORRISON

Before making the regulations to which my hon. Friend refers, I gave careful consideration to the views of representatives both of operators of public service vehicles and of persons employed in the industry. I do not think that in general it would make for the convenience or the safety of the travelling public to increase the permissible number of standing passengers.

Mr. McSHANE

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the complaints to which I have referred are complaints that cannot possibly be foreseen by those engaged in the Traffic Department when making arrangements for vehicles, particularly in the rural areas, where the services are necessarily infrequent; and cannot some elasticity be allowed in the rural areas?

Mr. MORRISON

On the other hand, one must be careful that vehicles constructed to carry a certain number do not carry a bigger number. I have to face the fact that the workpeople in the industry strongly object to standing passengers, and my hon. Friend will not mind if I take the views of the trade unions into account as well as the views of other people.

Mr. ERNEST BROWN

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that in restricting the number of omnibuses this problem becomes very acute, especially in London in rush hours, and will he invite his predecessor to stand with six or seven others on a wet day and compete with a crowd of flappers for a place in an omnibus?

Mr. MORRISON

I am not sure that the hon. Gentleman is altogether respectful in his reference to the young ladies of London who use the omnibuses. I rather resent it. In any case, the hon. Gentleman has assumed that a situation exists wich he has no right to assume does exist.

Mr. BROWN

May I refer to that point——[Interruption.]