HC Deb 07 December 1950 vol 482 cc514-5
23. Mr. Shepherd

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the extent to which buses and trolley-buses in the London area ignore traffic signals; and what action he proposes to take to ensure that passenger service drivers observe the same rules as others.

Mr. Ede

The police have standing instructions to deal with such cases which come to their notice. These offences are not confined to any particular class of driver, and the Commissioner of Police is not in a position to say whether the record of bus drivers in this respect is better or worse than that of other drivers.

Brigadier Medlicott

Quite apart from the drivers who take no notice of lights, what is the right hon. Gentleman going to do about conductors who take no notice of passengers on the footpath?

Mr. Ede

There is power to deal with them.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the standard of driving of bus and trolley-bus drivers in London is very much superior to that of private drivers?

Mr. Ede

I was very much surprised to find that this particular type of driver was picked out for this Question, because in my experience, especially having regard to the size of the vehicle that has to be driven, such drivers seem to be most considerate.