HC Deb 30 March 1882 vol 268 c306
MR. GOURLEY

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If it be correct that the number of fatal accidents in the streets of the Metropolis amounted last year to two hundred and fifty-two; and, if so, what measures he intends to adopt in order that street traffic may be more efficiently regulated, and this enormous loss of life lessened?

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT

, in reply, said, that the Home Office had done all they could with the view of lessening the number of street accidents in the Metropolis, by sending Circulars on the subject to Vestries and other local authorities, and more or less good had resulted. The accidents were less in number than was the case some years ago in proportion to the population. It was absolutely impossible entirely to prevent these accidents; and he might remark that one-fourth of the accidents that did occur happened to the drivers of vehicles themselves and persons in charge of horses, and not to passengers.