HC Deb 07 April 1930 vol 237 cc1773-4
67. Colonel HOWARD-BURY

asked the Postmaster-General whether, before laying cables under the public highway, he will consult with the Ministry of Transport so that a road that has just been resurfaced shall not be opened up again by his Department?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Every endeavour is made to avoid the disturbance of recently resurfaced roads, and arrangements were initiated by the Post Office some years ago with the object of co-ordinating all works in public roads. In the London area information of impending Post Office works in all important thoroughfares is already forwarded to the Ministry of Transport annually.

Colonel HOWARD-BURY

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this co-ordination is not working at all satisfactorily? The whole of Mount Street, which was resurfaced last year, is now pulled up again. Cannot he have some better form of coordination than exists to-day?

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Mount Street has not been re-surfaced since 1925.

Colonel HOWARD-BURY

It was all up last year.

80. Colonel HOWARD-BURY

asked the Minister of Transport whether, when he arranges for a road to be re-surfaced, he consults with the Postmaster-General as to whether he intends to lay cables under the road; whether he is aware that the whole of Mount Street, in Mayfair, which was re-surfaced during the past year, has been dug up and blocked by the Postmaster-General for the purpose of laying cables; and whether, by some form of co-ordination, this expenditure of the taxpayers' money may be avoided in future?

The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Herbert Morrison)

I am informed that Mount Street was not re-surfaced during the past year except at its intersection with Park Street. Under Section 4 of the London Traffic Act, schemes are prepared every six months showing the times at which highway authorities in the. London Traffic Area propose to carry out, re-surfacing works on streets which are prescribed under the Section, of which Mount Street is one, and copies of these cherries are furnished to all undertakers having powers to break up streets, including the Postmaster-General, with a view to the co-ordination, so far as practicable, of the operations of the highway authorities and the undertakers referred to.