HC Deb 08 February 1940 vol 357 cc387-9
29. Captain Sir William Brass

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the announcement made by the Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police that police officers will be issued with white overcoats in order to be seen more clearly when stopping drivers who are alleged to have exceeded 20 miles per hour in the black-out, he will consider extending this issue to point-duty officers for their normal duty of traffic control, as is the practice in other parts of the country?

Sir J. Anderson

All traffic-point officers of the Metropolitan Police are now equipped with white coats for use in darkness. In daylight, white sleeves are worn.

Sir W. Brass

Will my righthon. Friend consult the police to see whether in fact that is so; because only last night I noticed policemen not equipped with white coats at night?

Sir J. Anderson

My information is supplied by the Commissioner of Police.

Sir W. Brass

Will my right hon. Friend make inquiries? It was not so last night.

30. Sir W. Brass

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider instructing the Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, when trying to reduce road casualties, to experiment with the methods practised so successfully by the Lancashire police recently of showing the police and police cars clear to the public in order to act as a warning to careless and inconsiderate drivers instead of the secret trapping methods which aim more at prosecutions and convictions than at prevention?

Sir J. Anderson

The Commissioner of Police has consistently taken the view that the police should, as far as possible, by the use of patrol cars, encourage a high standard of behaviour on the part of road users, and accordingly the traffic patrol cars in the Metropolitan Police district normally show a prominent "Police" sign, and their crews wear uniform. Experience has shown, however, that it is necessary to supplement this by other methods, including fixed controls, for detecting and dealing with drivers who do not observe the law, more especially on stretches of road with a bad accident record.

Sir W. Brass

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in Lancashire the fatal accidents were reduced by 44 per cent. as a result of the method adopted in Lancashire, and that, in London, prosecutions were 513 a week for parking offences and 460 a week for speed offences; and does he not think that the police spend their time in court rather than on the roads?

Sir J. Anderson

My hon. and gallant Friend may be surprised to learn that the Lancashire method, to which he refers with approval, was initiated in London three years ago. I shall be happy to send him a copy of the circular issued

Sir W. Brass

Will my right hon. Friend consider the statistics of his own Department with me?

Sir J. Anderson

Certainly.