§ 65. Mr. PETOasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether a light railway is going to be constructed from Blandford Station to the military camp on the downs near Blandford; and whether, in the course of the War, ten times the cost of such a railway has been spent in road haulage and road repairs?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThis camp is now under the control of the Air Ministry who, I understand, have put in hand the construction of a railway of standard gauge. I regret I have no information as to the amount expended on road haulage, but the expenditure on the repair and maintenance of the approach roads from Blandford Station during the period that the camp was under War Office control amounted to £1,324. Since the Air Ministry took over the camp I understand that further expenditure has been incurred owing to the damage to the roads by the continuous heavy construction traffic. A new road is also being constructed to reduce the distance from the station to the camp by about 3 miles, and to relieve the Blandford-Salisbury road of the heavy traffic which has recently congested it.