§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give a complete list of railway lines from which Sunday 1570WA Services only have been withdrawn since January, 1963, and whether they intend to take any action to ensure that in the areas from which Sunday rail services have been withdrawn a basic minimum of public transport is retained.
§ LORD LINDGRENI understand from the British Railways Board that the information requested would involve an inordinate effort to compile. I am sure, however, that the Board would give the noble Earl what help they can if he got in touch with them direct.
Where Sunday rail services have been withdrawn, it is open to users to make representations to the Transport Users Consultative Committees: and where a recommendation is made to my right honourable friend on such a matter from the Central Transport Consultative Committee or the Committee for Scotland or Wales, as appropriate, he is empowered to give directions to the Railways Board. Otherwise, the provision of bus services is a matter for the discretion of the operators concerned, who would naturally be influenced by the likely demand. In deciding whether to licence a proposed service, the Traffic Commissioners would, of course, consider whether there was a genuine need for it in the public interest.