London Traffic Act 1924

The independents disrupted the monopoly of omnibus operation held by the Underground Group and British Electric Traction, who had since 1912 pooled their receipts in the capital.

The first "pirate" operator, Arthur Partridge, began alternative service outside the monopoly with a Leyland Bus, dubbed the "Chocolate Express", on 5 August 1922.

Section 7 of the Act gave the Minister the power to make an order declaring any thoroughfare in the City of London or the Metropolitan Police District a "restricted street", in which no additional omnibuses other than those already operating there could "ply for hire".

Herbert Morrison, Labour MP for South Hackney, and a future Minister of Transport, voted against the Bill on the grounds that it weakened the power of local government, in particular the London County Council.

The Advisory Committee continued to exist, and was remodelled under the London Passenger Transport Act 1933 to better represent the local authorities of the Traffic Area.

Map of the London Transport Area (red outline) covering the County of London , Middlesex and parts of Buckinghamshire , Essex , Hertfordshire , Kent and Surrey .