HC Deb 03 November 1948 vol 457 cc844-5
29. Mr. Willis

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the withdrawal of the Edinburgh—London air service.

Mr. Lindgren

My noble Friend has approved the British European Airways Corporation's decision to withdraw the London—Edinburgh service this winter, since he is satisfied that the service would incur a substantial loss, and since the small demand for the service last winter suggests that its withdrawal will not involve any great inconvenience to the public. British European Airways Corporation will provide a road connection from Edinburgh for passengers wishing to travel on the Renfrew—London service. British European Airways Corporation plan to resume this service• next spring, and I hope that public patronage will be such as to justify maintaining it thereafter.

Mr. Willis

Does my hon. Friend really think it is good business practice to close a service which, month after month, is showing an increase in passenger traffic and to do so before he has seen the effects of the very greatly reduced fares between Edinburgh and London?

Mr. Lindgren

There has been a very commendable passenger increase in the service since the threatened withdrawal and the reduction of fares, but Turn-house is not the best of aerodromes and the irregularity of services will probably cause a justifiable reduction in demand because of unreliability.

Mr. Willis

Is my hon. Friend aware that last December he informed me in reply to a Question that this service could only be stopped by very bad weather which, of course, applies to any air service?

Mr. Lindgren

I accept that reference if that is what I said, but additional navigational aids are required. We have been experimenting, particularly in regard to the back marker of the S.B.A., and these experiments are still going on.

Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchison

Does the Parliamentary Secretary imagine that anyone is going to motor from Edinburgh to Renfrew in order to get to London?

Mr. Lindgren

Certainly, they are doing it now.

Mr. Rankin

Will my hon. Friend make clear whether the service has been stopped because Turnhouse is not a suitable airport, or because Edinburgh is not giving support to the service?

Mr. Lindgren

It is partially because of both. The load factor was low, but I agree that the conditions of irregularity, which were conditioned by the airport, did contribute to that low load factor.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of any other capital city in the world which has not an air connection? Can he also recall telling me, when I complained that I could not fly to London from Perth, that I could go to Turnhouse and everything would be very comfortable?

Mr. Willis

I beg to give notice that I will raise this matter on the Adjournment.