HC Deb 26 January 1953 vol 510 cc648-50
32. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Minister of Transport on how many occasions since 1945 passenger fares have been increased in the London area; the average percentage increase in each case; and to what extent corresponding increases have been made outside London.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

As the answer is long and contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

While regretting that the answer is so long that it has to be circulated, may I ask whether these figures confirm the widespread view that London is being unfairly penalised compared with the rest of the country? If so, how long is the victimisation of London traffic to continue?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The answer to the first part of that question is No.

Following is the answer: Since 1945, passenger fares on London Transport rail and road services have been increased four times, and on Railway Executive lines three times. In 1945, fares on London Transport were greater than pre-war by about 10 per cent. overall. On main lines inside and outside the London area, the increase on standard fares was 16⅔ per cent. for ordinary fares and 10 per cent. for workmen's and season tickets, but the effective increase overall was substantially greater because of the cessation of cheap fare facilities during the war. Increases made in 1947 brought London Transport rail and road fares to about 31 per cent. over pre-war and main line standard fares, inside and outside London, to 55 per cent. over pre-war. The London Area Passenger Charges Scheme came into force on 1st October, 1950, and the net effect of the increases and decreases was to raise fares in the London area (which includes the London lines of British Railways) to about 54 per cent. above pre-war, but the fares outside London were not affected. The new bases of fares resulting from the 1952 Passenger Charges Scheme raised the level of fares in the London area to about 83 per cent. overall compared with pre-war. The level for British Railways outside London was increased from about 78 per cent. to nearly 90 per cent. over pre-war. Bus, tram and trolley-bus fares have been generally raised throughout the country since the war, but no statistics showing the number of separate increases or of the average percentage increases made are readily available in my Department.
33. Mr. Beswick

asked the Minister of Transport when giving a directive, or otherwise, requesting the London Transport Executive to revise their proposed fare increases in 1952, what was his definition of hardship which the revised increases were to be designed to prevent.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Hardship was used in its ordinary sense as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary: The quality of being hard to bear, or, a condition which presses unusually hard upon one who has to endure it. The Government intervention was directed to securing that in general the increases in sub-standard and concession fares were not proportionately greater than the increases in ordinary fares.

Mr. Beswick

But this admirable definition applies equally to this other increase as to the new increases now proposed. Will the Minister say why he cannot apply that same definition to this proposed increase and ask the London Passenger Executive to think again?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I think the hon. Gentleman has that down as his next Question.

34. Mr. Beswick

asked the Minister of Transport if he will direct the British Transport Commission, before the London Transport Executive operate any new fare increases, to observe in 1953 the same requirement which they were to observe in 1952 of preventing hardship.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I think we had better await the outcome of the inquiry now being conducted by the Transport Tribunal.

Mr. Beswick

That is not good enough, because the last inquiry by the Tribunal was overruled by the present Government. They did not take any notice of the Tribunal. They applied the test of hardship, and I am now asking the Minister to apply the same test for this fresh increase. I want to know why he will not apply that test of hardship now?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The intervention on the last occasion by the Government —if I may call it so—was due to the use by the Commission of the discretion that had been left to them by the Tribunal. I think we had better wait and see whether this time any discretion is left.

Mr. E. Fletcher

Will the right hon. Gentleman ask the Prime Minister, when he returns, to keep his eye on this matter in order that there may be no further injustice to the travelling public of London?

Sir H. Williams

Will my right hon. Friend inquire why privately-owned omnibus companies have raised their fares less than the publicly-owned omnibus companies?

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Can the Minister give an assurance that if he is dissatisfied with the findings of the Tribunal following the forthcoming inquiry he will reserve to himself the right of overriding them as he did on the previous occasion?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

That is quite hypothetical.

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