§ 63. Mr. Ralph Ethertonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport what adjustment is to be made in the anomaly, to which his attention has been drawn, of fares for local passenger traffic on the railways as compared with the omnibuses in the Manchester area?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport (Mr. Noel-Baker)I am afraid that it would not be 1306 practicable to reduce the monthly return fares by rail to the level of lower fares by omnibus. I may remind my hon. Friend, however, that season tickets are available by rail at low rates. On the routes to which my attention has been drawn, train loadings have been fully maintained during peak hours. The only reduction in traffic has been during the hours when cheap day tickets were formerly used for non-essential travel. The increase in passengers on the omnibuses has been very small, and it has all been carried without difficulty by the existing services.
§ Mr. EthertonWill the hon. Gentleman send someone down to see the overloading of the buses and the emptiness of the trains? Is he aware that the failure to make any adequate adjustment forces war workers, whose journeys are really necessary, off the railways on to the buses, causing unnecessary discomfort and damage to the war effort?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerMy answer was made after most careful inquiries by my advisers on the spot, both on the railways and on the bus routes. I am grateful to the hon. Member for raising this matter because it seemed that the abolition of the cheap day fares after 10 o'clock would have the effect of forcing passengers off the railways on to the roads, but I have reason to believe that that is not so. If the hon. Member can furnish evidence that it is so I will look into it, but at present my information is to the opposite effect.
§ Mr. EthertonWill the hon. Member look into the matter further, because there is very strong feeling about it in Manchester?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIf there is any further evidence I will look into it, but both the railway authorities and the Manchester Corporation have given me contrary advice.