Colonel NEWMANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of 2172W Transport whether he has information available as to the total number of omnibuses now plying for hire in the Metropolitan district as compared with the month of May or other convenient date in 1914; whether his attention has been called to the numbers of half-empty omnibuses plying for hire up and down Piccadilly when the business community is not going to or returning from work; and, in view of the great congestion of traffic, could the number of omnibuses on the streets be reduced during certain hours of the day?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have been asked to reply to this question. The number of omnibuses now plying for hire in the Metropolitan Police District is approximately 4,369. In 1914 the number was 3,057. There is no power to reduce the number of omnibuses plying during certain hours.