§ 55. Mr. Viantasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been directed to the recommendation of the Select Committee on the Prevention of Road Accidents that, where a road is unsuitable for telegraph or telephone poles, they should be put on private land or the wires put underground; and, if so, whether he is able to state what the cost is likely to be?
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Sir Walter Womersley)I have seen the recommendation. I am unable to say what cost might be involved, since there is so much room for difference of opinion as to the roads covered by the recommendation. I may add that over 90 per cent. of all Post Office wire is already underground and that overhead wires are not erected in any clearly unsuitable road or in any other road unless underground plant would be unreasonably costly.