HC Deb 11 March 1930 vol 236 cc1091-3
36. Mr. DOUGLAS HACKING

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the fact that there are still, approximately, 30,000 gas-lit coaches on British railway steam-worked coaching stock, representing about 50 per cent. of the whole, he will consider the advisability, in the interests of employment and public safety, of making a condition, in connection with Government grants or loans to railway companies, that they should convert this dangerous system to that of lighting by electricity?

Mr. THOMAS

As the reply is a long one and involves figures, I will, with the right hon. Gentleman's permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT, but he will be pleased to know that good progress in this connection is being made.

Following is the reply:

The figure of 30,000 appears to relate to the number of gas-lit coaches at 1st November, 1928. Since that date, the railway companies have made further progress with the conversion of their gas-lit coaches in the normal course. The following proposals (which are additional to the ordinary programme) involving expenditure under this head have been included by the companies among the works which they are undertaking in fulfilment of their obligations to the Government in connection with the repeal of the Railway Passenger Duty:

£
Great Western Railway Company 80,000
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company 208,840
London and North Eastern Rail way Company 56,000
It is understood, however, to be uncertain whether the last item of the above will be proceeded with. In addition, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company have obtained a grant under the Development Act in respect of the expenditure, estimated at £287,500, involved in the substitution of electric lighting for gas in a further 1,250 coaches.

The Minister of Transport, has made representations on several occasions within the last few years to the railway companies as to the desirability, in the interests of safety, of accelerating their programme of substituting electric lighting for gas in their passenger coaches, and he will renew such representations if it appears from the returns of their rolling stock, which the companies have now undertaken to submit annually, that the process of conversion is not proceeding at a satisfactory rate. In view, however, of the large expenditure involved, I do not consider that the railway companies could reasonably be asked to undertake the conversion of the whole of their pas- senger stock at once, or that a condition such as that suggested in the question could be attached to any grants made to the companies for other works. Apart from the gradual conversion of their existing stock, the practice of the railway companies is to equip all new passenger stock with electric lighting equipment, with the exception of a certain restaurant cars in which gas is utilised. Consequently, as the companies' existing stock has to be replaced, the proportion of coaches lighted by electricity will be increased.