21 Silkinasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that the regulation requiring queueing at omnibus stops is frequently not being observed, especially at busy stops such as Parliament Street; and will he take more strin gent measures to ensure that weaker and less physically active passengers may get a fair chance of boarding omnibuses?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport (Mr. Noel-Baker)I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing attention to this important matter. I think, however, that as a general rule, the travelling public have willingly accepted the Order which imposes an obligation to form up in queues; I think that they recognise that it is designed for their own convenience; and that they are readily carrying it out. So far as their man-power allows them to do so, the London Passenger Transport Board post officials to ensure order at important stopping places during busy hours; but I am informed that the intervention of these officials is rarely required. It is not possible to make separate queues for the omnibuses running on each of the different services which travel northwards up Parliament Street, but I will make special inquiries into the conditions there.
§ Mr. SilkinWould my hon. Friend take a look to see particularly what happens once the queue has been formed? The queue is formed all right, but then people make a rush when the bus arrives.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI know that difficulties do arise. It is because it is physically difficult to make separate stopping places for the different groups of bus routes, and so the people in the groups get mixed. In Parliament Street it is a very difficult problem.