§ 40. Sir W. Wakefieldasked the Minister of Transport what steps have been taken to provide crews of trains and those controlling train movements with modern wireless communication equipment so that they can talk with other trains and control stations in the same way as ships and aircraft, instead of using the present century-old system of dropping messages on paper, waving flags, blowing whistles, putting detonators on the line and other obsolete methods of communication and warning.
§ Mr. BarnesThe possibilities of wireless communication have been the subject of experiment by the railways for some months past. Certain difficulties require to be overcome and when the necessary equipment becomes available, the tests will be continued.
§ Sir W. WakefieldWill the Minister not bring pressure to bear on his right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General to stop obstructing the use of the latest developments of science on the railways, for public safety?
§ Mr. BarnesI think that question had better be put down to my hon. Friend the Assistant Postmaster-General.