Page:Railways Act 1921 (ukpga 19210055 en).pdf/49

[Ch. 55.] amalgamated company and every company liable to have applied to it a schedule of standard charges shall submit to the Minister in such form as he may direct a schedule of the circuitous routes to which it is desired that this section shall be applied. The Minister shall refer to the rates tribunal the schedules so submitted to him, and the tribunal shall, after giving all parties whom they consider entitled to be heard before them an opportunity of being heard, consider whether the routes contained in the said schedules are, having regard to all the circumstances, including the public interest, desirable and adequate, and shall settle the schedules accordingly, and this section shall apply to the circuitous routes contained in the schedules as settled, but, save as hereinafter provided, to no other, circuitous routes.

After the settlement of such schedules any such company may apply this section to a new circuitous route not included in its schedule, but the company shall, within fourteen days, report the route to the Minister in such manner as he may direct, and, if the Minister considers that the proposal involves unreasonable competition or is not in the public interest, he may refer the matter to the rates tribunal who may, after giving all parties whom they consider entitled to be heard before them an opportunity of being heard, cancel the route: Provided that, if the proposed circuitous route exceeds by fifty per cent. or more the shortest route between the two places, this section shall not be applied thereto without the consent of the rates tribunal.

Fares on ships.

53. As from the appointed day, any amalgamated company or any railway company to which a schedule of standard charges has been applied whose powers of charging in respect of the conveyance of passengers and their luggage in steam or other vessels provided or used by any such company are limited by statute, may demand, take, and recover such reasonable fares as it shall think fit for and in respect of the conveyance of passengers and their luggage in such steam or other vessels, and any question as to the reasonableness of such fares shall be determined by the rates tribunal.

Publication of schedules of standard charges, &c.

54.—(1) The schedules of standard charges and the standard terms and conditions of carriage when settled in accordance with the provisions of this Part of this 45