§ MR. STRAUS (Tower Hamlets, Mile End)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the fact that many of the platforms of important stations on the old London, Chatham, and Dover line are too short to accommodate an ordinary train, necessitating the train drawing up two or three times and consequently endangering the safety of the public, as well as wasting a great deal of time; and whether he can make representations to the railway company now controlling this line to lengthen the platforms and avoid the danger and inconvenience to the public.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Board of Trade have communicated with the managing committee of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in this matter and have received the following reply:—
"South Eastern and Chatham Railway,"
"General Manager's Office,
"London Bridge Station, S.E.
"14th August, 1907.
"Sir,—I am in receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, R. 10187, enclosing notice of a Question which Mr. B. S. Straus proposes to ask the President in the House of Commons to-morrow (Thursday) relating to the platform accommodation at certain stations on the Chatham section of this railway.
"In reply I would point out that Mr. Straus does not specify the stations to which he refers nor does he give the particular trains affected.
"At the same time, I may say that at some of our stations it is undoubtedly impossible to lengthen the platforms owing to various circumstances arising at the particular places, i.e., in most cases it is either impossible to obtain the land requisite for the extension or to carry out the same without heavy and expensive works.
1582 "The trains, as you are aware, vary as to length, and the traffic at different seasons of the year, and especially at the present time, is very heavy, rendering unavoidable the addition of extra coaches."
If my hon. friend furnishes me with particulars of the stations or trains he has in mind, I will consider whether further representations can usefully be made to the managing committee.