HC Deb 08 May 1940 vol 360 cc1212-4
30. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that increases in rail fares, including London transport, are, in many cases, in excess of 10 per cent.; whether this is in accordance with the agreement reached with the railway companies; and what action he intends to take to prevent passengers being forced to pay the increased rates?

Captain Wallace

I would refer the hon. Member to the Railways (Additional Charges) Order, 1940, dated 17th April, 1940 (Statutory Rules and Orders 1940 No. 586), under which the authorised addition to railway fares is 10 per cent. of the fare in operation, subject to certain fractions rules. It was necessary to adopt some practical rules for dealing with fractions of a penny, and those adopted on this occasion were rules which have been applied by the Railway Rates Tribunal when increasing certain charges in the past. I am aware that the effect of these rules is to increase certain fares by more than 10 per cent., but this is offset by the fact that other fares are not increased at all, or are subject to an increase of less than 10 per cent. As the full explanation of the fractions rules would make my reply unduly long, and involves a number of figures, I will with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Shinwell

Did not the Minister assume, when the matter was before the House, that the increase would be 10 per cent., and is it not the case in many instances, particularly in the London area, that as much as 20 per cent. increase is being charged? Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that this constitutes a grave hardship on many people who have to travel to and from their work?

Captain Wallace

I have never sought to under-estimate the hardship that any increase in railway fares is bound to impose upon people, and the less well-to-do the people the greater the hardship; but it is in pursuance of an agreement that these charges are put on. We have dealt with fractions of a penny in the way they have been dealt with by the Railway Rates Tribunal in the past.

Mr. Shinwell

If the fraction has to be deducted, why cannot the travelling public occasionally have the benefit of the doubt?

Captain Wallace

I have explained in my answer that some people get the benefit of the doubt and others do not. In some cases there are no increases at all.

Mr. Shinwell

Am I going to get the benefit of the doubt?

Following is the explanation referred to:

In the case of fares other than certain workmen's fares referred to later, the rule (Rule A) is that, in determining the amount of the additional charge, fractions of a penny if less than one-half are to be dropped, if one-half or more are to be charged as a penny. The effect is that fares up to 4½d. are not increased at all; one penny is added to fares of 5d. to 1s. 2d., representing an increase of from 20 per cent. down to 7.1 per cent.; two-pence is added to fares of 1s. 3d. to 2s., representing an increase of from 13.3 per cent. down to 8.3 per cent. and so on.

In the case of workmen's fares, except fares for conveyance locally upon the railways of the London Passenger Transport Board (other than their Metropolitan Railway), the rule (Rule B) is that, in determining the amount of the additional charge, fractions of one penny if less than one-quarter are to be dropped, if one-quarter and less than three-quarters are to be charged as ½d., if three-quarters or over are to be charged as 1d. The effect of this rule is that fares of 1d. to 2d. are not increased at all; ½d. is added to fares of 2½d. to 7d., representing an increase of from 20 per cent. down to 7.1 per cent.; 1d. is added to fares of 7½d. to 1s., representing an increase of 13.3 per cent. down to 8.3 per cent.; 1½d. is added to fares of 1s. 1d. to 1s. 5d., representing an increase of 11.5 per cent. down to 8.8 per cent., and so on.

The special rule (Rule B) applicable to workmen's fares has not been applied to fares for the conveyance locally of workmen upon the railways of the London Passenger Transport Board (other than their Metropolitan Railway), for the reason that it was desired to avoid disturbing the Board's practice of charging for the conveyance of workmen on these railways the single ordinary fare for the double journey.

Ordinary season tickets (except weekly season tickets to which Rule A applies) are governed by Fractions Rule C which provides that, in determining the amount of the additional charge, fractions of 1s. are to be charged as 1s. in the rates for 12 months' tickets; in the rates for tickets for shorter periods fractions of 3d. are to be charged as 3d.