The
British Transport Commission (BTC) was created by
Clement Attlee's post-war
Labour government as a part of its
nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in
Great Britain (Northern Ireland had the separate
Ulster Transport Authority). Its general duty under the
Transport Act 1947 was to provide "an efficient, adequate, economical and properly integrated system of public inland transport and port facilities within Great Britain for passengers and goods", excluding transport by air.