§ 44. Mr. Oliverasked the Minister of Transport the number of cases in the last five years in which the powers under Section 7 of the Railways Clauses Act, 1863, have been exercised by which a railway company is required to erect a bridge in place of a level crossing?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Captain Austin Hudson)These powers have not been exercised during the past five years. The hon. Member will be aware that a number of level crossings have been eliminated by the construction of bridges by the highway authority with the aid of grants from the Road Fund.
§ Mr. OliverIs there any particular reason why this Section has not been applied during the past five years in view of the need for doing something in this direction independently of the local authorities?
§ Captain A. HudsonUnder Section 7 level crossings have to be eliminated on the ground of public safety. A large number of them have been eliminated on the ground of public convenience and this has to be done by way of grant, and so forth.