§ 26. Mr. Douglas Houghtonasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware of the number of Royal Air Force personnel who solicit lifts from passing motorists on the Great North Road at week-ends; that this is due to lack of adequate transport to take men going on leave to railway stations or to picking up points of road services; and if he will take steps to arrange better transport arrangements for men going on leave.
§ Mr. A. HendersonR.A.F. movements officers endeavour to make the most convenient arrangements to enable personnel on week-end leave to travel home. Special contracts are entered into with long-distance coach companies. Arrangements are made with local bus companies to run buses to the nearest convenient railway station where long-distance trains can be caught, or to towns from which other road services operate. I have no reason to suppose that the practice of soliciting lifts from passing motorists is due in any great degree to lack of transport facilities, but I am having further inquiries made.