§ Mr. R. MORRISON(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the two serious omnibus accidents which took place in Kingsland Road and Commercial Road yesterday, resulting in one omnibus being overturned and another nearly overturned, and in the death of one passenger and injuries to many others, and in view of the alarm which these accidents have caused to the public whether he proposes to hold an inquiry into the circumstances?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZONI caused inquiries to be made at once into the circumstances of both of the unfortunate accidents to which the hon. Member refers, and am awaiting more detailed reports before deciding what action to take. As the hon. Member is aware, the powers of inquiry conferred upon the Minister of Transport under the London Traffic Act are limited to cases where either the character of the road, or a defect in the vehicle, appears to Rave been a contributory cause of the accident.
§ Mr. MORRISONWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman make inquiries into the construction of the vehicles in order to satisfy the public that some of these omnibuses are not easily overbalanced?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZONUntil we have come to a conclusion as to whether the accident was due to an error of judgment or a technical defect it would be impossible to say whether there shall be an inquiry on the technical side.
§ Captain GARRO-JONESHas the attention of the hon. and gallant Gentleman been drawn to the feeling of alarm which has been created in consequence of the fact that in hot weather the lower deck is empty and the top deck is full and that that makes the design unsound?