§ Mr. Chorltonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to remedy the present arrangements whereby insufficient taxi-cabs meet late trains at the London stations, so that taxi-cabs are overloaded and carry up to six persons; that the taxi-cab has then to take a long and roundabout route to the various passengers' destinations and that the different passengers are charged up to 2s. 6d. per passenger
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThere is no legal power to direct cabs to particular places at particular times, but the need for an adequate supply of cabs at main line stations in London has repeatedly been impressed on the trade. Cabs are in short supply, like many other things in war time; and as a means of alleviating this difficulty the sharing of cabs wherever possible has been and will continue to be encouraged by the police. I quite appreciate that cab sharing may involve over- 2031W loading and, on occasion, some deviation from the direct route; but I think most passengers would rather put up with any such inconveniences than have no cab at all, and in this matter I think that there will be general agreement that the principle of the greatest good of the greatest number should be observed. As regards fares, as my hon. Friend the Member for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) was informed on 2nd March, the total amount legally payable for a tax-cab hiring in London, whether or not the cab is shared, is that shown on the taximeter.