Local Transport Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his response, in particular to Amendment No. 67. We await what emerges further on that. On the issue of the operator of last resort I do not think that my noble friend responded to the point that there are those powers within London. Any local transport authority would have to decide about the costs involved in deciding whether to exercise those powers of operator of last resort. Obviously, the costs involved would depend on the extent to which it was going to decide to act as an operator of last resort in the exceptional circumstances in which that normally arises. In the light of the Minister's response, that option is not going to be available to the transport authority to consider even if it wished to do so. I note my noble friend's response with regret on Amendment No. 70, but I beg leave to withdraw Amendment No. 67. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 68 to 70 not moved.]