§ 36. Mr. DAVID GRENFELLasked the Minister of Transport whether the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee were consulted by the postal authorities in regard to the erection of the red telephone call-boxes recently placed upon the public highways in the metropolis; and whether they have approved of the sites selected and in particular those on island refuges, which compel persons who make use of these call-boxes to cross busy tramway and omnibus routes?
§ Colonel ASHLEYSince the end of 1925 the Postmaster-General has been good enough to consult me with regard to the sites of the new telephone boxes in streets in the London telephone area, and I have referred these cases to the Committee for advice. The Postmaster-General has always met my wishes in the matter and since the date mentioned 207 kiosks have only been erected on sites which I have been advised are unobjectionable from the point of view of danger whether to pedestrians or to vehicular traffic.
§ 41. Mr. GRENFELLasked the Postmaster-General how many red telephone call-boxes he has caused to be erected on the public highway in the metropolitan postal district within the past two years; what is the total estimated expenditure incurred in erecting, fitting and connecting them; and what payments have been made to the highway authorities to enable them to acquire additional highway space to compensate the travelling public for that occupied by these boxes?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Sir William Mitchell-Thomson)During the last two years, 255 red telephone kiosks have been erected on public highways in the London postal district at a total cost for supply, fitting and connection of about £22,000. Telephone kiosks are placed on highways by agreement with the road authorities without charge for rental in the interest of the travelling public, who use them extensively.