§ 52. Mr. W. BAKERasked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to deal with the problems created by trade and commercial motor vehicles in London which have killed 104 persons and been involved in 6,058 accidents to persons and property within the Metropolis during the last quarter of 1926?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI regret to say that accidents, both fatal regret non-fatal, caused by vehicles in the Metropolis, are not by any means confined to trade and commercial vehicles; 189 persons have been killed, and 25,000 accidents have been occasioned to persons and property by other classes of vehicles in the period mentioned in the question. The problem of these accidents must be dealt with as a whole. I am expecting in the course of the next few days a report from the London Traffic Advisory Committee on the subject of the prevention of street accidents, and I have convened a conference of representatives of all local authorities and other bodies concerned in the metropolitan area, for the 21st March, to consider the question.
§ Mr. LUNNDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that the time has now come when legislation should be tightened up and penalties increased on people who are taking other people's lives in this way?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThat is the question we are investigating on the 21st.