HC Deb 21 June 1967 vol 748 cc287-8W
63. Mr. Peyton

asked the Minister of Transport if she will give a direction to the British Transport Holding Company that bus companies for which they are responsible should not object to the renewal of the licences of privately-owned transport undertakings simply on the grounds that the fares charged by those undertakings are less than those authorised and less than those which they themselves in fact are charging.

Mr. John Morris

The fares to be charged by all bus companies, including those owned by the Transport Holding Company, are controlled by the independent Traffic Commissioners. It would not be desirable to fetter the discretion of any bus operator to make representations to the Commissioners that the fares charged by another operator are harmful to his own ability to provide services in the public interest. The Commissioners decide such cases on their merits.