HC Deb 07 July 1898 vol 61 cc149-50
MR. DALY

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the county of Monaghan grand jury on Saturday last passed a resolution condemning the action of the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland) for keeping the gates on level crossings too long closed, and thereby causing delay and inconvenience to the public; whether he is aware that the Great Northern Railway Company shunt trains over a level crossing at Castleblaney, which causes great delay to people entering or leaving the town with vehicles; whether he can state if the Great Northern Railway Company are acting legally in shunting trains over level crossings; and whether he will take any steps in the matter?

MR. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)

I beg also to ask the President of the Board of Trade has he seen a resolution of the Monaghan grand jury, passed on Saturday last, condemnatory of the inconvenience caused to the public by level crossing gates on the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) being kept closed sometimes for so long as 25 minutes; and will he use his opportunities to put a stop to this practice?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) Croydon

The Board of Trade have received a copy of the resolution referred to. The law governing shunting of trains over level crossings is contained in section 5 of the Railway Clauses Act, 1863, and only applies to crossings authorised after the passing of that Act. As I understand it the Castleblaney crossing was authorised as far back as 1845, and the Statute would not therefore seem to apply. In cases governed by the Act it is open to parties aggrieved to take proceedings. The Board of Trade do not prosecute, but if the honourable Members desire to furnish the Department with cases in which there is shunting over crossings to which the Act applies, I shall be happy to direct the attention of the company to the complaint. As the honourable Members are no doubt aware, a footbridge has been erected, or is in course of erection, at Castleblaney.

MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)

Has the Board of Trade any power to compel a railway company to allow a level crossing to be erected across their line?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

What? To compel them to allow a level crossing to be "erected"?

MR. FLAVIN

"Constructed," if you wish.

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