Bus Services (Season Tickets)

HC Deb 13 May 1964 vol 695 cc403-5

34. Mrs. Butler

asked the Minister of Transport where rail services have been discontinued under the British Railways Board's proposals, what instructions have been given to bus companies providing alternative services regarding the issue of season tickets at reduced rates to regular passengers who require them.

Mr. Galbraith

My right hon. Friend has no powers to give bus companies such instructions. But if in any particular case he were satisfied that lack of such facilities would cause special hardship to displaced rail passengers, he would examine ways and means of alleviating it.

Mrs. Butler

While thanking the hon. Gentleman for that Answer, may I ask whether he realises that bus services cannot possibly be an adequate substitute for discontinued rail services unless these facilities are provided in all cases where passengers require them? As the bus companies will be getting a greatly increased revenue by the closure of railway lines, will he consider that in every case before he approves any further closures?

Mr. Galbraith

I am not quite certain whether the hon. Lady and I are dealing with the same question. I thought we were dealing with season tickets. Is that right?

Mrs. Butler

Yes.

Mr. Galbraith

In that case, this is something which my right hon. Friend cannot impose on the bus companies, but what he can do, if he thinks that there would be hardship, is to make it a condition for the railways withdrawing the service, and it is then up to the railways to come to an agreement with the bus company, which may or may not be possible.

Mr. Lipton

Will the hon. Gentleman have a look at the evidence which was submitted to the London Transport Users' Consultative Committee during the inquiry into the proposed closure of East Brixton station? It shows quite clearly that people deprived of the use of that station would have to incur greatly increased travelling costs if they had to go by London Transport buses.

Mr. Galbraith

That may be because the railway company, in anticipation of the closure, has not put up fares in the way that it otherwise would have done.

Mr. Popplewell

Is not this an instance in which the Minister, when he considers reports on closures from the T.U.C.C.s must take into consideration whether an adequate alternative bus service is being provided? Will he explain whether, when the Minister gives a decision in favour of a closure, he takes that fact into consideration? Is it part of the Minister's power to compel the Railways Board ultimately to subsidise these private enterprise bus services, which he has informed me by private letter it is his intention to do?

Mr. Galbraith

Sometimes my right hon. Friend considers that the existing bus service is not sufficient and he requires the railway company to arrange with the bus company for the provision of an additional bus service. If that bus service is one that is not going to pay, the railway company subsidises it.