§ Mr. KELLAWAYasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the fact that during the five years 1907–11 305 persons were killed by 38 motor omnibuses in the Metropolitan area and only 127 by mechanically propelled tramcars, although the tramcars carried nearly twice as many passengers as the motor omnibuses; whether he is aware of the suggestion repeatedly made by Dr. Waldo, His Majesty's coroner for the City and Southwark, that many of these fatalities would be avoided if motor omnibuses were fitted with a safety tender similar to that which the Board of Trade insists on being fitted to mechanically propelled tramcars; and whether he proposes to take any action?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe figures quoted are those which I furnished to my hon. Friend in answer to a question a few days ago. As my predecessor stated in answer to a question on the 15th June, 1910, the Commissioner of Police has from the outset impressed upon proprietors of motor omnibuses the importance of providing a suitable guard, and has intimated to them that when one was available certain concessions would be made as to the minimum road clearance of these vehicles. No satisfactory device, however, of the nature indicated has yet been submitted to him. The safety tender on tramears, suitable as it is for a vehicle running upon fixed rails, is not suitable for a vehicle meeting frequent inequalities of road surface.
§ Mr. KELLAWAYWill the right hon. Gentleman call the attention of the omnibus companies to the fact that the number of accidents caused by their vehicles, is increasing rapidly year by year?
§ Mr. McKENNAIs it a fact?