§ 7.44 p.m.
§ Mr. PYBUSI beg to move, in page 1, to leave out the words "the London Traffic Area," and to insert instead thereof the words:
an area to be known as the London Passenger Transport Area which shall comprise certain portions of the London Traffic Area and of the districts adjacent thereto.
§ Mr. C. WILLIAMSI would like to point out very clearly that the Bill has been so amended and is so different from its original form that we are now being asked to amend the actual Title of the Bill, because we are going far outside the original London traffic area. No definition has ever been made, as far as I understand, by the Government, as to how far this may extend. The result of the Amendments mean that the traffic area has been extended almost limitlessly. At present you have the London traffic area circle, and certain parts where it goes outside, but by making an amendment in the Title of the Bill you are deliberately encouraging the board to try to get further outside than they are now. The Government are so reluctant to explain the position that we have not had a word from them in support of this Amendment.
§ Mr. PYBUSI can assure the hon. Member that there is no reluctance to explain the Amendment. The point simply is this. When the Bill was first introduced it provided for the establishment of a board to be charged with the provision of passenger transport facilities for the London traffic area. The area was changed, actually it was reduced, in Committee, and the introduction of a newly defined area called the London Passenger Transport Area as the sphere 734 of the operations of the board necessitates the alteration in the Title of the Bill. I hope that satisfies the hon. Member.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSI accept the explanation. May I ask what is the actual limit of the outside area? How farther outside can they go?
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Bill to be read the Third time Tomorrow.