HL Deb 13 May 1964 vol 258 cc234-5

2.53 p.m.

LORD CHORLEY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will impress upon the London Transport Board the importance of maintaining the omnibus services which are scheduled on their official time tables, particularly upon those routes which provide interconnections with Underground services and particularly at peak periods.]

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, the operation of their bus services is a matter of management for the London Transport Board. Both they and the Government are aware of the difficult problems affecting the maintenance of bus services in London at present. The main cause is the shortage of bus crews. A Committee of Inquiry appointed by my right honourable friends the Ministers of Labour and of Transport have recently reported on the Board's manpower problems. The services are affected also by traffic congestion. During the last few years my right honourable friend has introduced a large number of traffic measures which have reduced traffic delays in London.

LORD CHORLEY

My Lords, I am faintly grateful to the Minister for his reply. I should like him to realise that at the Underground station at Stanmore, where I live, frequently two of the scheduled buses are missing in succession, and this happens twp or three times a week and at the peak periods. Does he not think it is very unfair to people, often elderly people, who have worked hard all day in London, that they should have to stand for 45 minutes waiting for a bus to come along? Does not the noble Lord, who is particularly interested in the motor car side of this problem, realise that it is quite useless to appeal to "motor commuters" not to take their cars into the centre of London, so long as they cannot get from the buses a more efficient service than they do at the present time?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I think my original reply indicated in no uncertain terms that both the Board and the Government are well aware of the problem.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether they are also aware of the problem of people standing in the rain for considerable periods at bus shelters? I have asked him this before. Will he draw this to the attention of whoever is responsible for putting up more shelters, especially in outer London?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I do not think that that arises strictly from the Question, but I have no doubt that the Board will read Hansard and see what the noble Lord has said.