34. Mr. HUTCHISONasked the Minister of Transport if he will state the number of appeals he has heard against 1786 decisions of the different traffic commissioners in respect of motor-coach running; how many he has decided and on what lines; and how many still remain to be heard?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Pybus)Up to 5th March, inquiries had been held into 448 appeals and decisions arrived at in 359 cases. Of the decisions 137 involve Orders on the Traffic Commissioners while in the remaining 222 cases the appeals have been dismissed, 444 appeals had still to be heard.
§ Mr. MARJORIBANKSDoes the Minister hear any of these appeals himself or does he discharge the duty through a deputy?
§ 38. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Minister of Transport if he will state the reason for the refusal of a licence by the Ministry of Transport on appeal on the 23rd December, 1931, to Mr. Victor Jones to continue the omnibus service he has been running for 20 months between Princes Risborough and High Wycombe, taking into consideration the fact that this refusal has caused hardship to workmen who were formerly able to reach Wycombe factories at 7.30 a.m. and works at Princes Risborough at 8 a.m. and to school children who now have to walk from Bradenham to West Wycombe?
§ Mr. PYBUSIt is impossible to condense the whole story of this case within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary question, but I will gladly show the hon. and gallant Member the full transcript of the shorthand notes of the original hearing.
§ Sir A. KNOXIs this case not a typical instance of forcing the small pioneer omnibus owner off the road in favour of a great combine?
§ Mr. PYBUSI am sure that, if the hon. and gallant Gentleman would see the notes which I have offered to show him, he would agree that it is somewhat unfair to make that general ex parte statement.
§ Sir A. KNOXIs it not a fact that this poor man was 20 months on the road and that now the Thames Valley 1787 Omnibus Company comes along and is given the place that he has had before, and he is turned off?
§ Mr. MARJORIBANKSIs not the whole tendency of the administration of the Act to drive out the small owner?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe cannot have a debate on the matter.
§ 40. Mr. CHALMERSasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that some 600 employés of the Green Lines Coaches, Limited, have been, or will be, dismissed as a result of the refusal by the traffic commissioners to grant licences in respect of certain suburban services; and whether he will, in view of this, expedite the hearing of the appeal?
§ Mr. PYBUSThe hon. Member is obviously misinformed as the dismissals to which he refers cannot possibly be attributed to the cases now under appeal. Pending a decision on these appeals the operators are entitled to continue their existing services and are, I understand, doing so. As the hon. Member is aware, I have appointed a special committee of inquiry, with Lord Amulree as chairman, to consider the appeals in respect of these suburban motor coach services. I hope it will be possible for the committee to open their inquiry very shortly.
§ 47. Mr. CROSSasked the Minister of Transport whether he proposes to take any steps to alter the present system of licensing long-distance road motor-coaches in such a manner as to do away with the necessity of applying to a number of traffic commissioners in respect of the same journey?
§ Mr. PYBUSThe requirement that a road service licence shall be backed in each traffic area affected is an essential part of the licensing system, but I fully appreciate the desirability of keeping the procedure constantly under review and making it as simple and convenient as possible.