§ 40. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Minister of Transport whether he has any recent statistics showing the number of horse-drawn vehicles for the carriage of goods in regular use in the London area under his jurisdiction; and if he has reason to believe that the number of these horse-drawn vehicles is increasing?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONNo information is available relative to the number of horse-drawn vehicles in 1805 regular use in London, but during a census taken one day in 1930 for a period of 12 hours at a number of important points in the London area, the number of horse-drawn vehicles registered as passing those points was about 30 per cent. less than the number recorded in 1927.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWhat steps is the Minister of Transport taking to deal with this matter?
§ Mr. MORRISONThere are suggestions that horse-drawn vehicles should be prohibited in certain areas in London, but there is very strong opposition to that also. I think the figures indicate that the problem is in a fair way to solving itself.
§ Colonel ASHLEYAre not horse-drawn vehicles, especially in the City of London, very useful indeed for the purposes of trade?
§ Mr. MORRISONThere can be no question that, as a matter of sheer transport economics, for short distance journeys, with frequent stoppages, the horse is still the more economical.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYDoes that not mean continually stopping all the rest of the traffic?
§ Commander BELLAIRSCould the right hon. Gentleman say whether these horses are subsidised by the War Office?