§ 20. Mr. Holtasked the Minister of Transport whether he will introduce legislation amending the Road Traffic Act, 1960, to permit car owners who take passengers to work by car on an expense-sharing basis, to do so without having to obtain a licence as a public service vehicle.
§ Mr. GalbraithNo, Sir. We have no present evidence to justify such a measure. But in connection with rural transport problems this idea, along with others, will no doubt be looked at by the local rural transport inquiries now in progress.
§ Mr. HoltIs not that a rather astonishing Answer? The hon. Gentleman must know that there are many people who take their neighbours to work on a paying basis. Is not this both good-neighbourly and commonsense? Is it not absurd that in so helping their neighbours they should be in fact breaking the law? Should not this be altered?
§ Mr. GalbraithI do not know that that is necessarily true. The purpose of the law is to safeguard the bus services. If the practice to which the hon. Member has referred grew, it might endanger the bus service; which is required for those people who have not got private cars, and who have to rely on public transport.
§ Mr. WebsterIs there not an insurance problem here, because anyone taking a passenger in his motor car as an act of courtesy is in difficulty with the insurance company should there be an accident?
§ Mr. GalbraithMy hon. Friend is perfectly right. There are insurance difficulties, but I was going to the heart of the matter in my answer to the hon. Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Holt).
§ Mr. HoltThe Minister must be aware that there are many new firms which have started on the peripheries of towns where the bus services are quite inadequate to take workpeople from an area all around the works. Many of those people can get to work only by private transport.