HC Deb 04 June 1919 vol 116 cc2048-9W
Mr. CAIRNS

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that there is no Sunday train from Newcastle to Ponteland, which is very inconvenient to domestic servants who wish to visit their parents and inconvenient to the public in general; and whether the Railway Executive Committee will take steps to deal with the matter?

Sir A. GEDDES

I will look into this matter, and communicate with the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

Mr. CAIRNS

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any reply in respect to the putting on of a morning train, known as the commercial train, in pre-war times, so as young children and teachers in the Bedlington district can get to school in proper time at Blyth?

Sir A. GEDDES

I am inquiring whether the position has altered since I sent the hon. Gentleman on the 4th April a copy of a letter on the subject from the North-Eastern Railway Company and I will inform him of the result.

Sir STUART COATS

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will instruct the Railway Executive Committee to restore the suburban train service on the South-Eastern Railway as it existed before August, 1914, between London and stations between Croydon and Redhill and stations between Purley and Caterham, and so obviate the present inconvenience and overcrowding owing to insufficient rolling stock; whether, in addition to replacing the trains taken off during the War, the services can be continued to Cannon Street and Charing Cross, respectively, as in former days instead of terminating at London Bridge low level where the accommodation is ill adapted for passenger traffic; whether the speed of such trains can be accelerated, by the use of better locomotives, so that these journeys of sixteen or eighteen miles can be covered in less than one hour to and from Charing Cross; and whether, having regard to the fact that many of the other railway companies have, since the Armis- tice, replaced some of the train services they discontinued during the War, he will instruct the Railway Executive Committee to devote attention to the South-Eastern line with a view generally to bringing its traffic administration up to date?

Sir A. GEDDES

I am bringing the points raised by the hon. Baronet to the notice of the Railway Executive Committee.