RAILWAY CHEAP TRAINS, &c, BILL. (Hansard, 10 July 1860)

LORD WODEHOUSE
moved the second reading of this Bill, the object of which was to make perpetual the 21 & 22 Vict., c. 75, to amend the Law relating to Cheap Trains, and to restrain the exercise of certain powers by Canal Companies, being also Railway Companies.

THE BISHOP OF OXFORD
wished to call the attention of the Government to the necessity of taking some steps to ensure an easy communication between the various lines of railway in his county. Now that the whole internal communication of the country was in the hands of these great railway companies, Parliament ought to exercise some supervision over the powers which had been granted, in order that they might see that the communication was made as complete as possible for passengers. At nearly all the great points of communication the different railway companies were in a s-ate of hostility, the consequence of which was serious inconvenience to the public, and, he believed, serious injury to the railway companies. He had been assured by the railway directors that they would rejoice if Parliament would make some regulation upon this subject, as it was impossible for the directors themselves to deal with the evil, as any company which chose to refuse to enter into any arrangement would obtain an unfair advantage. The Board of Trade should have power to compel each company to make a continued communication at certain times under a heavy penalty. He hoped the noble Lord would bring the subject under the consideration of the Government.

§ LORD REDESDALE
said, the suggestion of the right rev. Prelate could not be carried out in this Bill. This Bill was for the purpose of making certain Acts perpetual, and to add a clause of the sort suggested would not give the question fair consideration, which he thought ought to receive the attention of Parliament and the Government.

§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY
was of the same opinion.

THE EARL OF DONOUGHMORE
said that, instead of one, forty clauses and a very elaborate system would be required to provide for such a system as that proposed by the right rev. Prelate.

§ LORD CRANWORTH
said, an attempt was made to legislate upon this matter some three or four years ago; and what 1658 was now required was that Parliament should pass an Act to tell railway companies how they should arrange their trains at points of intersection. But he thought that the Legislature could not interfere with the discretion of the directors, and that all had been done which Parliament could do.