HC Deb 04 May 1937 vol 323 cc959-60
36 Mr. Ede

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that a metalled road is being made across the military land known as Royal Common, Surrey, towards Ockley Common; and, in view of the detriment to the amenities of this much-frequented common, the work will cause and of the extent to which it will enable private motor-cars to gain access to the group of commons in this neighbourhood, with consequent increase in deposit of litter and other unsightliness, will he have the work recently done and the resulting disfigurement removed?

(2) by whose authority large unbroken flints have recently been deposited and in some places spread on the tracks used by the public across the military lands known as Thursley, Ockley, Royal, and other commons in Surrey; and what steps he proposes to take to reduce the inconvenience, discomfort, and danger caused to civilians and horses by the depositing and spreading of these flints?

(3) whether he is aware that quantities of large flints have been deposited on the whole width of the track joining Ockley and Royal Commons included in the military lands in Surrey, causing inconvenience, discomfort, and danger to the civilian foot and horse passengers using this much-frequented way; and will he have the present state of affairs speedily remedied?

The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Duff Cooper)

The only work in the neighbourhood which is being undertaken by the War Department is the repair, necessitated by military user, of the track leading from the Elstead-Milford road southwards across Royal Common to Ockley Common, in accordance with the terms of a licence granted to the War Department by the land owner and at his request. The coarse gravel at present laid down will be surfaced with fine gravel and rolled, so that no inconvenience or danger to civilians or horses using the track should arise.

Mr. Ede

Will the right hon. Gentleman arrange for an inspection of this work to be made to see whether unbroken flints eight inches long can be accurately described as gravel?

Mr. Cooper

I will look into the matter. I understand that the work has not yet been finished, and that some of these flints may have been left lying on the roads, but that ultimately the road will be much improved.