§ * MR. A. K. LOYD (Berks, Abingdon)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, (1) at what date and by whose authority the two sidings, required by Captain Rich to be removed from across Uffington Station on the Great Western Railway, as a condition of obtaining the sanction of the Board of Trade to the opening of the Faringdon line, were replaced across the high road after such consent had been obtained; (2) at what date and by whose authority was the third siding added to the two which had been previously disallowed by Captain Rich across the high road; and, (3) whether a complaint of delay and danger to the public in using the highway, thus obstructed by the railway company in 429 contravention of the requirements of the Board of Trade, will only be entertained by the Board of Trade if a large number of railway passengers book at the station where the danger and obstruction are occasioned.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE, Croydon)With regard to the first two paragraphs of the Question, I have made full inquiry, and regret to say that I am unable to give the information required. The difficulty in obtaining it no doubt arises from the fact that the work was done by a defunct company. The Board of Trade have not been intrusted with any statutory powers to entertain complaints of this description. They cannot make any order as to this crossing, but they are always ready to use their best endeavours to arrange a settlement, and I must say that in this case the railway company appear to be quite ready to meet the local authorities, if the latter will approach them in a spirit of concession.