HC Deb 16 July 1908 vol 192 cc1089-90
MR. POWER (Waterford, E.)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the continued overcrowding which still takes place on most of the trains of the District Railway in spite of the assurances of the company to Parliament that they were closely watching the traffic and making arrangements accordingly; if his attention has been called to the fact that, except during certain hours in the mornings and evenings, the District trains consist of not more than two ordinary and one first-class carriage; and whether, considering the great overcrowding which takes place on these three-carriage trains, he will see that at any rate a fourth carriage is provided on such trains.

MR. CHURCHILL

The Board of Trade are informed that the railway company are at present putting all their rolling stock through the shops for thorough overhaul and for the removal of the pneumatic arrangements controlling the carriage doors, and the substitution of latches. The company expect that this work will be finished by the autumn and they then intend to increase the number of carriages on their trains. In the meantime they state that they do no anticipate that there will be any cause for complaint with regard to overcrowding as during the holiday season the traffic on their line is considerably decreased.

MR. POWER

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that on the Circle line every train was composed of four carriages, and that every train was full. Might he assure him that the overcrowding on the District Railway went on every day, as Members of the House could testify?

MR. KEIR HARDIE

asked whether four carriages could not be put on every train on the District Railway at certain hours every day.

MR. RIDSDALE (Brighton)

Has the right hon. Gentleman contemplated, in the event of an accident, the serious results which might follow from this overcrowding?

MR. CHURCHILL

said he would address the railway company on the subject, and acquaint them with the statements made in the House; but the information he had given was that which had been furnished by the company.

MR. POWER

The right hon. Gentleman has been quite deceived by the reply of the company.

MR. CHURCHILL

I hope it is not so bad as all that.