HC Deb 20 July 1944 vol 402 cc368-9W
Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport the number of new licences granted to companies catering for road passengers since 1931 and the number of new licences granted to local authorities; the number of new powers during the same period to companies and the number to local authorities; and the number of local authorities operating services and the number of companies, with the average number of vehicles for each concern.

Mr. Noel-Baker

I regret that information is not available in the form in which my hon. Friend desires to have it. For omnibuses and motor coaches the figures for 1931 and 1937 (the earliest and latest available) show:

Year … 1931 1937 (excluding L.P.T.B.)*
Type of Operator … Local Authorities Other Operators Local Authorities Other Operators
No. of operators … 100 6,386 95 4,702
Vehicles owned … 5,397 41,079 8,431 34,838
Vehicles per operator … 54.0 6.4 88.7 7.4
* In 1937 the London Passenger Transport Board owned 6,305 buses and coaches.

The corresponding figures for trams and trolley vehicles are:

Year 1931–32 1937–38 (excluding L.P.T.B.)*
Type of vehicle Trams Trolley Vehicles Trams Trolley Vehicles
Type of Operator Local Authorities Companies Local Authorities Companies Local Authorities Companies Local Authorities Companies
No. of operators 144 38 20 4 58 8 31 7
Vehicles owned 11,203 1,564 513 178 6,825 382 1,359 200
Vehicles per operator 77.7 41.2 25.6 44.5 117.7 47.7 43.8 28.6
* In 1937–38 the London Passenger Transport Board owned 1,668 trams and 1,026 trolley vehicles.
In 1938–39 the London Passenger Transport Board owned 1,316 trams and 1,411 trolley vehicles.

My hon. Friend may also care to consult the Annual Reports of the Traffic Commissioners and the Annual Returns of Tramways and Light Railways (Street and Road) and Trolley Vehicle Undertakings.

If he will let me know more precisely what he means by "new powers" I will see what information is available. I would, however, remind him that individuals and companies do not need statutory powers to operate omnibuses or coaches and that Section 101 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, conferred certain additional powers on those local authorities already authorised to operate a tramway, light railway, trolley vehicle or omnibus undertaking.