§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what rail-bus services have existed in the United Kingdom from 1960; where these have been situated; and what was the number of passengers carried by them and the average cost per passenger mile.
§ Mr. PeytonThe Railways Board tell me that 22 such vehicles were introduced into service in 1958 and 1959 on an experimental basis. They operated over the following routes:
- Cambridge—Mildenhall.
- Audley End—Bartlow.
- Bartlow—Marks Tey.
- Witham—Braintree.
- Witham—Maldon.
- Bedford—Hitchin.
- Bedford—Northampton Castle.
- Aviemore—Craigellachie—Elgin.
- Dalmellington—Ayr—Kilmarnock.
- Lugton—Beith.
304 - Hamilton Coalburn—Strathaven.
- Comrie—Crieff—Gleneagles.
- Stirling—Alloa—Kinross.
- Arrochar—Craigendoran.
- Swindon—Kemble.
- Kemble—Cirencester Town.
- Kemble—Tetbury.
Although the rail-buses achieved some small economies of rail operation they were three times as expensive to build as ordinary buses, which could often do the job as well. The services were not well patronised and were withdrawn between 1963 and 1968.
Information on the number of passengers carried and the average cost per passenger mile is not readily available.