HC Deb 03 February 1960 vol 616 cc987-9
18. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission to publish periodically statistics concerning late arrivals of main-line trains between London and the principal stations in the provinces, together with the causes of such late arrivals, in order to establish a better understanding between the British Transport Commission and the travelling public.

Mr. Marples

No, Sir. This is a matter of management for which the British Transport Commission is responsible.

Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, while the British public are well aware of the fact that repairs have to be carried out, what annoys them is that the timetables issued by British Railways bear absolutely no relation to what happens? Is he aware, for instance, that trains from the north of England due to arrive in London at about 10.30 p.m. are very often two or three hours late [HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—when there are no taxis and no porters? Is it not an absolute scandal that there is no personal representative to help the unfortunate people who on these occasions are left stranded?

Mr. Marples

This is obviously a matter for the day-to-day management of the British Transport Commission, but it is not only repairs but also modernisation which is causing the inconvenience. Ultimately, the modernisation will make the journeys quicker. If my hon. and gallant Friend will give me details of the occasion when he was two or three hours late, I will certainly go into it. My own constituency is in Cheshire on the other side of the Mersey—the more exclusive side of the Mersey, if I may say so—and I frequently come down on the train from Lime Street to Euston. I certainly can say quite honestly that I have never been as much as three hours late.

Hon. Members

Withdraw.

Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that the reason why he does not suffer as we do is that he gets V.I.P. treatment?

Mr. Marples

My career has been full of vicissitudes, and I have spent many a year on the back benches. I still say I have never been three hours late.

Mrs. Slater

Does the right hon. Gentleman also know that very often I travel on the same train as his hon. and gallant Friend, and that there are numerous occasions when it is on time?

Mr. Marples

I only hope that the hon. Lady can arrange to share the same compartment with my hon. and gallant Friend.

Forward to