HC Deb 17 May 1905 vol 146 cc617-8
SIR HENRY FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the instructions issued to the Metropolitan Police with respect to persons driving motor-cars on public highways recklessly or negligently or at a speed which is dangerous to the public within the Metropolitan Police area.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERS-DOUGLAS, Kent, St. Augustine's)

The police orders on this subject are voluminous and set out fully the duties of drivers of motor-cars under the Motor-Car Act and the regulations thereunder, and also under the Highways Act and the Metropolitan Police Act, 1839, which give additional powers to the police. The police are instructed to use their utmost endeavours to check furious or reckless † See (4) Debates, cxlv., 917. driving and to secure the enforcement of the law. In particular, they have instructions from the Commissioner to take proceedings under Section 1 of the Motor-Car Act in all suitable cases in which, though the statutory speed limit is not exceeded, cars are driven recklessly or negligently or at a speed dangerous to the public. In the more crowded districts they proceed under this section, when necessary, for such offences as driving on the wrong side of refuges or driving too rapidly over foot crossings.

SIR HENRY FOWLER

Do the same instructions apply to the parks?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

No; I think they are under the park regulations, but that is a point I will inquire into. I have taken great care in regard to the action of the police under my control in London.

CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have recently on several occasions been informed by the Metropolitan Police that no instructions have been issued to them to pay any particular attention to motorcar traffic?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I was not aware of that fact, and it is contrary to what I have heard and to the instructions I have given.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

Are motor-cars quite immune if they have coronets on them?

MR. SCOTT-MONTAGU (Hampshire, New Forest)

Is it not the case that the ten-mile-an-hour limit applies to the parks?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I think that is so.