§ 7. Mr. Wilson Harrisasked the Minister of Transport whether he is now able to arrange for the reservation of seats on long distance trains.
§ Mr. BarnesI regret that the heavy pressure to be expected on the available accommodation in the trains makes it impossible to reintroduce a system of reservation of seats this summer. The railway companies are, however, planning to restore; this facility gradually when the winter services are introduced in October.
§ Mr. HarrisHas the Minister ever calculated how many hundreds of thousands of man hours are wasted each week by people who have to get to stations 20 minutes or half an hour earlier, in order to travel in some kind of comfort? Will he, in balancing priorities, give a very high place to this reversion to prewar practice?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas MooreIs it not time that some very important persons became less important, and more importance was given to the travelling and business public?
§ Mr. BarnesI do not agree that there are any reservations on railway trains for priority passengers.