§ Major KELLEYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport the average daily number of passengers carried on the railways and the average receipts from passenger traffic in the quarter before the last reduction of fares and in the latest period available since then; and whether he has any information to show that a further reduction of passenger fares will be effected this year?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have not yet been supplied with complete returns for any period subsequent to the 1st Jaunary, 1923, from which date the last general reductions in fares took effect. The average daily number of passengers (excluding season ticket holders) carried on the railways in Great Britain during the preceding quarter was 3,101,744. The corresponding receipts were £164,547. Similar figures for a subsequent period will be communicated to my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as the returns are complete. I am not aware whether the railway companies intend to make any further reductions in passenger fares during the present year.