HC Deb 10 November 1954 vol 532 cc1185-6
41. Mr. Smithers

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the difficulty of obtaining omnibus services in rural areas generally; and what is his policy for improving the situation in this respect.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

While I agree that there are difficulties in some areas, this is not general. I have, of course, no power to compel anyone to run an un-remunerative bus service. But the licensing authorities are doing their best to see that as many as possible such services are run by operators of other routes.

Mr. Smithers

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in the rural areas of Hampshire the difficulties are considerable, and that people will not go to live and work in the countryside under present conditions unless they have a bus service? Will he make a study of what can be done to alter the conditions so as to make it remunerative to run local village bus services?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

There are particular difficulties in Hampshire, to which my hon. Friend has drawn my attention, but as I pointed out in my answer, I have no powers to compel anyone to operate such a service. To secure a certain degree of co-operation from the licensing authority is the best way of tackling this matter.

Mr. D. Jones

Does the right hon. Gentleman now realise that if the area schemes had been left in the Transport Act of 1947, in many cases urbanised services could be used to subsidise rural services?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I understood that even right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite had now realised that the area schemes would not work.

Mr. Smithers

Is my right hon. Friend aware—I am sure that he is—that it has nothing to do with area schemes? Is he aware that if the surrounding economic circumstances were examined it would be found that there are several steps which might be taken to help to improve this matter in rural areas? Is he aware that I shall take the opportunity of raising it more fully on a suitable occasion?