§ 60. Mr. McENTEEasked the Minister of Transport whether it is proposed to erect any form of device at the recognised crossing places for pedestrians in Westminster and other places so as to eliminate any doubt as to the proper time for crossing; and will he state what number of accidents have occurred at marked crossing places since the new system of marking was put into operation?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Oliver Stanley)It is not proposed at present to erect any device at marked crossing places for pedestrians at those junctions which are controlled by constables or traffic control signals, but the whole experiment is being carefully watched. At the marked crossing places there has been, during the first 10 days of the experiment, only one accident involving personal injury and that was slight.
§ Mr. McENTEEIs the hon. Gentleman satisfied that there is an improvement since the introduction of these crossing places?
§ Mr. STANLEYThe whole matter is to be discussed on a Prayer on Wednesday, and can then be dealt with.
§ 61. Captain Sir WILLIAM BRASSasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the case of a young girl, aged 16, who was killed on 18th June on a pedestrian crossing 799 place at Aldwych, Strand; and, as this is believed to be the first fatal accident since the inauguration of these crossings, whether he will consider having a special inquiry made into the circumstances of the case, in order that his Department may have full particulars of how the accident occurred?
§ Mr. STANLEYMy information is that the girl who was unfortunately killed in Aldwych on 18th June was crossing the road at the junction with Houghton Street and that the accident occurred some 20 yards east of the pedestrian crossing place at the junction of Kingsway and Aldwych. It does not appear that the accident had any connection with the inauguration of marked pedestrian crossing places and I do not consider that a special inquiry would serve any useful purpose.