§ Mr. LANE-FOX (for Mr. Joynson-Hicks)asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the contractors to the Holborn Borough Council have recently repaved New Oxford street, between Tottenham Court-road and Kingsway, with asphalt having angles of side-fall greatly in excess of those recommended by the engineers who contributed papers on the subject of modern road-paving before the Road Congresses held in April, 1907, and at the Institution of Civil Engineers in April last; and whether he will introduce such legislation as may be necessary to insure that any London thoroughfares which are in future repaved with asphalt shall have a side-fall to the channel, measured transversely eight feet there from, which shall at no point exceed a slope which is calculated to give motor and horse traffic a secure hold upon the roadway in wet weather, say, a slope of 1 in 30 as a maximum?
§ Mr. BURNSI am informed that the fall from the crown of the road to the channel in the portion of New Oxford-street referred to is 1 in 38. I am aware that this is greater than the side-fall recommended at the Road Congresses in Paris, and at the Institution of Civil Engineers, but I understand that it is the slope adopted for asphalte roads in other parts of the Metropolis. The slope of 1 in 30, suggested as a maximum by the hon. Member, would be greater than that which has been adopted in New Oxford-street. It does not seem to me necessary to introduce legislation on the subject.