§ 62. Mr. Adamsonasked the Minister of Transport the number of persons killed and injured on the roads in the county of Stafford during the first 10 months of 1937 and the comparative numbers for the corresponding months of 1936?
§ Mr. BurginThe numbers of persons killed or injured in road accidents in the county of Stafford police district, that is, excluding the county boroughs of Newcastle, Stoke, Walsall and Wolverhampton, during the ten months ended 31st October, 1937, were 127 and 3,602 respectively, compared with 115 and 3,523 in the corresponding period of 1936.
§ 72. Sir Gifford Foxasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the steps taken in Oxfordshire to improve the junctions on the rural sections of the chief roads by making them join at right angles; how many of these junctions have been thus transformed; how many remain to be transformed; and whether he can give any figures showing how these precautions have lessened fatal and non-fatal accidents at these places?
§ Mr. BurginYes, Sir; grants were made to the Oxfordshire County Council in 1935 and 1936 of 75 per cent. of the cost, estimated at £30,000, of a comprehensive scheme for improving 58 road intersections on important Class I roads. Of these improvements 57 had been completed at the end of July last. The information asked for in the last part of the question is not available.
§ 73. Sir G. Foxasked the Minister of Transport whether he has considered the statement by the surveyor to the Oxfordshire County Council, a copy of which has been sent to him, that three out of 1973 every four fatal accidents in the county during the last four years would not have taken place had the roads been originally designed and constructed in accordance with the interpretation of the Ministry's recently published brochure on the subject; whether a similar experience is reported from other counties; and, if so, whether he will consider pressing all county councils to expedite road improvements?
§ Mr. BurginI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his question on 20th December. The opinions expressed by the Oxfordshire County Surveyor on the accident causation are not supported by the information contained in the police reports which are supplied to me. I have received no similar representation from other counties.
§ 74. Sir G. Foxasked the Minister of Transport whether it is the practice of his Department to ask county councils to furnish a report as to whether road conditions on the scenes of fatal accidents can be improved; and, if not, will he consider the desirability of introducing this policy?
§ Mr. BurginAll fatal accidents which are alleged to be due to road conditions are investigated by officers attached to the divisional offices of the Ministry and appropriate action taken where necessary.