§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has received from the clerk of the County 495 Council for Cornwall a copy of a resolution passed unanimously at the last meeting of that body to the following effect:—
That a representation be made to the Board of Trade, urging that all level crossings in the County of Cornwall on public highways over main lines, and all others within the county that from their position or the amount of traffic are specially dangerous, should be abolished, and that in future no level crossings should be sanctioned;and whether he proposes to take any, and what, action thereupon?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.)No, Sir; the resolution referred to by the hon. Member has not reached the Board of Trade. With regard to the first paragraph quoted, the Board of Trade frequently make representations to Railway Companies in regard to level crossings which appear to them to be at all dangerous, recommending their abolition; but they have, generally speaking, no power to enforce their views in the case of railways constructed before 1863. As regards future level crossings, no such crossing is permitted unless authorised by Parliament after report by an Inspecting Officer of the Board of Trade. Reports of the officer adverse to level crossings have in the past been often overruled by the Committees, and arrangements have been made since the beginning of this Session for the attendance of the officer before the Committees when required.