§ 5. Mr. John E. Haireasked the Minister of Transport if he will now consider relaxing, especially in rural areas, the regulation limiting standing passengers in omnibuses to five.
§ 1. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the delay and congestion on omnibuses, he will amend the rule of not more than five standing inside during the coming winter.
§ Mr. BarnesNo, Sir. Since this time last year the weekly mileage on stage and express carriage services has increased by over a million miles in London, and three million miles in the provinces. In any case, I do not think an increase in standing passengers would be a satisfactory way of dealing with the problem of peak traffic.
§ Mr. HaireIs not the Minister aware that owing to the imposition of this rule, in rural districts especially, many persons are left stranded and frequently have to wait for a long time before there is another bus?
§ Mr. BarnesI appreciate the difficulty, but I have to bear in mind the undertaking given to the operatives when the change was made during the war.
§ Lieut.-Commander Gurney BraithwaiteIs not the right hon. Gentleman going to allow any elasticity in remote villages, which sometimes have only two buses in the course of the day, or see that relief buses are put on to carry the passengers?
§ Mr. BarnesThe regional transport commissioners keep all these matters in mind, and they try to do the best they can in the circumstances.