§ 69. Mr. LLEWELLYN-JONESasked the Minister of Transport if he is in a position to state to what extent the highway authorities of England and Wales are providing proper footpaths for the safety or accommodation of foot passengers; and whether, in the making of grants from the Road Fund to local authorities, he will make it a condition that they shall provide and maintain such footpaths by the side of all classified roads?
Mr. STANLEYI am not in a. position to furnish statistics as to the extent to which footpaths are being provided, but I have no reason to think that highway authorities generally do not attach proper importance to the duty laid upon them by Section 58 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930. It is the practice of my Department to require the provision of adequate footpaths where this is desirable and practicable in approving any scheme of improvement or new construction for grant from the Road Fund, but I am not prepared to attach the general condition suggested by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. LLEWELLYN-JONESIs the hon. Member aware that in many parts of the 499 country where new roads have been made, or roads have been reconstructed, they are so far as the roads are concerned simply racing tracks, and there is no footpath on the side of the roads, or, even where there are footpaths, they are not fit for pedestrians to walk along them?
§ Mr. GLOSSOPIs it not a fact that local authorities pay very much more attention to the provision of footpaths than do the local inhabitants, who invariably walk on the road even when there is a footpath?