HC Deb 07 June 1944 vol 400 cc1352-3
58. Captain Plugge

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport what proportion of the 10,497 road casualties in April were directly attributable to war conditions of traffic.

Mr. Noel-Baker

I regret that it is not possible to obtain information about the number of road accidents in which war conditions may have been the principal cause.

Captain Plugge

Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that road casualties would be much reduced if road congestion were relieved by the petrol tax being substituted for the horse-power tax on motor vehicles? Will he make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this matter?

Mr. Graham White

Can my hon. Friend give any explanation of this abnormal rise in road accidents?

Mr. Noel-Baker

In part, it is due to the very heavy traffic resulting from operations which have now begun. Beyond that, I have no explanation.

Sir William Davison

Can the hon. Gentleman not take action to make people more careful in stepping off pavements?