Overcrowding on the Great Eastern Railway.

HC Deb 10 June 1902 vol 109 c240

CAPTAIN NORTON

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state whether, in accordance with section 3, sub-section (a), of the Cheap Trains Act, any inquiries have been made with reference to the continual overcrowding on the Great Eastern Railway, and with what result.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (MR. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central

No such inquiry has been made under the provision specified which does not give jurisdiction to deal with overcrowding. With regard to overcrowding on the railway mentioned, I would refer the hon. Member to the terms of an answer which I gave on the 12th ult., to a Question addressed to me by the hon. Member for Ross and Cromarty to the effect that the Great Eastern Railway Company are endeavouring to meet such overcrowding as exists by widening their carriages, so as to increase the seating accommodation by some 21 per cent., and that they have under consideration the question of providing more powerful engines and longer trains, but this will involve structural alterations at the stations. †See preceding Volume, p. 1049.