§ MR. WHEELHOUSEasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether he will endeavour, if possible, to provide (either by subways or by any other method) for some safer passage than 296 now exists from Parliament Street to Palace Yard?
§ MR. AYRTON, in reply, stated that it was almost impracticable to construct a subway from the end of Parliament Street to Palace Yard, because the Metropolitan District Railway ran between. Therefore, any subway would have to descend some 40 feet. The only other method would be to construct a bridge, which would have to be 20 feet high, and approached by steps, and he did not think any hon. Member would go up 20 feet, and come down 20, in preference to crossing the road. But, in point of fact, there already existed a very easy way by which any hon. Member could go from Parliament Street into the House of Commons without exposing himself to any risk. He had only to walk along the north side of Bridge Street, where he would find a flight of steps leading to the subway already existing. That flight of steps was a temporary arrangement; but he hoped that when buildings had been erected on the north side of Bridge Street, a permanent arrangement would be made for a convenient approach to the subway.