§ Mr. CROOM-JOHNSONasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that road licences are being refused in the county of Somerset to existing omnibus services in cases where such services are without competition; and, seeing that the refusal of such licences will leave considerable districts without any regular daily means of public transport, whether he will consider issuing a statement on the subject?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONSubject to the right of appeal to me under Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, the question whether a road service licence should be granted or refused is one for the Traffic Commissioner's. In exercising their discretion in this matter the commissioners are required by Section 72 of the Act to have regard to various considerations, including the extent to which the proposed service is necessary or desirable in the public interest.
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§ Mr. CROOM-JOHNSONasked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the number of cases in which existing omnibus services have been refused a road service licence to date; what is the total number of appeals to the Minister to date against such refusals under Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act; how many have been disposed of; and what arrangements have been made for the hearing of such appeals?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONUp to the 31st May the number of applications for road service licences, including backings, which had been refused was 154, but I am unable to say how many of these were in respect of existing omnibus services. Appeals; or notices of intention to appeal, against the refusal of road service licences or backings of all kinds have been received in 45 cases. No appeals have as yet been disposed of. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply given on 10th June to a question by the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Mr. Day), of which I am sending him a copy.