§ 36. Mr. HUTCHISON (for Sir REGINALD BLAKER)asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been directed to the inconvenience caused to the travelling public by the withdrawal of the Premier Line omnibus service operating between parts of Middlesex and London; and what action, if any, he proposes to take?
§ Mr. PYBUSI am aware of the withdrawal of the service to which the hon.
431 Member refers. It has been operated in contravention of the law, and the company have on this account been convicted and fined on three occasions. The question whether a road service licence should be granted to the company in, respect of this route is at present the subject of an appeal and stands referred to the special committee of inquiry presided over by Lord Amulree.
§ Miss PICKFORDIs the hon. Gentleman aware that owing to the withdrawal of this licence over 60 men have been thrown out of work, that the Premier Line is perfectly willing to re-employ them if the licence is renewed, and that it is obvious that the public require their services?
§ Mr. PYBUSI regret the fact that these persons were thrown out of work, but it was because an illegal service, which never had a licence, was withdrawn after being prosecuted on several occasions.
§ Miss PICKFORDIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this line was operating more omnibuses on that route than on the line to which a licence has been allowed?
§ Mr. PYBUSThis service has never been licensed. The law of the land is that public service vehicles must have a licence, and the last time that this company was before the court Sir Chartres Biron described this particular case as one of the most impudent attempts to defy the law in his experience.
§ Lieut. - Colonel ACLAND - TROYTEWould not the simplest way be to annul the Road Traffic Act altogether?