BRITISH RAILWAYS

Evening Star, Issue 19804, 1 March 1928, Page 4

BRITISH RAILWAYS

ROAD TRANSPORT COMPETITION * DEBATE IN COMMONS. LONDON, February 26 The House of Commons has opened a two days’ debate on Bills promoted by the big five railways, giving them powem to run motor services of passengers and goods in opposition to the road transport companies. Mr J. Q. Lamb, in moving the iejection of the Bill, said that the railways already had 35,(300 vehicles on the road, of which 4,000 were motor vehicles. He objected to giving them power enabling them to embark in entirely new business, and he believed that the existing competition ensured lower charges to farmers and other producers. Mr A. C. N. Dixey, in seconding the rejection, said that the Bill would give the companies power to squeeze out every ; small motor omnibus company. Rather than give the railways a monopoly, he would prefer to see the railways nationalised. _ Mr Edward Grenfell said, the question was whether the railways should be prevented from competing with Jie road transport companies, which at present had a stranglehold upon the railways. He repudiated the idea that the Bill would enable the railways to establish a monopoly. Lieutenant-colonel Bandars said that the railways had a prima facie case, which should be referred to a committee for investigation. The fear of the agriculturists that if the railways got

these powers the rates would go up was unfounded. Mr J. Bromley (Labor) earnestly supported the Bill. The railway employees were meeting the unregulated competition of men who were driving ramshackle vehicles on the roads at wages as low as 30s to 35s a week.—Aand N.Z. and ‘ Sun ’ Cable-