HC Deb 20 July 1950 vol 477 cc2469-70
44. Sir H. Williams

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than half of the prosecutions for obstruction of the highway by motor vehicles took place in the Metropolitan Police district; and if he will examine the reasons for this disproportion.

Mr. Ede

The high number of prosecutions in the Metropolitan Police district for obstruction of the highway by motor vehicles reflects the fact that this kind of obstruction is the most potent cause of traffic congestion in the district, and does not call for any further examination on my part, since London conditions are clearly not strictly comparable with those of other areas.

Sir H. Williams

Has the right hon. Gentleman taken the trouble to look at the conditions in places like Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, where there is just the same degree of obstruction but not so much fussiness on the part of the police?

Mr. Ede

When I get to Birmingham my anxiety is to find my way about at all. I find it far easier to get in than to get out of that city. But I think that in some of the smaller towns through which I go there is evidence of a need on the part of the authorities to see that less obstruction is caused than is at present allowed.