THE MARQUESS OF GRANBY (Leicestershire, Melton)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called by the Melton Mowbray Local Board to the dangerous nature of the level crossing over the Melton main road to Oakham and Market Harborough at the Melton Station of the Midland Railway; whether he is aware that the Midland Railway Company now run many of their express trains over this router to London, thereby largely increasing the danger and inconvenience of this crossing; and whether he has been informed that the Midland Railway Company have been frequently memorialised on the matter, and have declined to make any alteration at the crossing; and, if so, whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the facts of the case?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BURT,) Morpeth(who replied) said: The attention of the Board of Trade has been called to this level crossing, and they have been in communication with the Midland Railway Company on the matter. There was an inspection of this crossing in 1881 by direction of the Board of Trade, 998 and certain works and alterations of signalling arrangements were in consequence made by the Company. They state that no accident or casualty of any kind has since occurred, and that the construction of a bridge would be by no means a simple or inexpensive matter from the engineering point of view. The crossing is an old one, made under statutory powers, and the Board have no power to compel the Company to erect a bridge.