HC Deb 17 March 1881 vol 259 cc1241-2
SIR TREVOR LAWRENCE

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been drawn to Colonel Yolland's Report on the closing of a level crossing, known as Poupart's Crossing, by the West London Extension Railway; whether Colonel Yolland does not state that the crossing was closed, not only without any authority, but after the Railway Company had stated to the Board of Trade that they could not close it without Parliamentary authority; and that such closing was a "high-handed proceeding;" whether Colonel Yolland does not further state that the footbridge, by which the crossing has been replaced, is "totally inadequate to the wants of the public," having regard to the numbers reported to make daily use of it, and so dangerous that it has already caused, as he is informed, numerous accidents; and, whether the Board of Trade has any power to interfere for the protection of the rights of the public under such circumstances; and, if not, what remedy the public have?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

, in reply, said, the attention of the Board of Trade had been called on several occasions to the dangerous level crossing referred to in the Question of the hon. Baronet. It was originally a crossing from a market garden to land on the other side of the railway. The attention of the Railway Company was called to the dangerous state of the crossing, and they undertook to build a foot-bridge over the line, intimating that they could not close the crossing without Parliamentary powers. Afterwards, a foot-bridge being built, they closed the crossing without coming to Parliament for power. Complaints being made on the subject, he directed Colonel Yolland to make inquiry. He had expressed the opinion that the footbridge was altogether inadequate to the public requirements, and that to close the crossing in the way the Company did was a high-handed proceeding. The Board of Trade had no authority to interfere in such cases as this; but he hoped that the public convenience would be promoted by the fact that attention had been called to the matter.