§ 22 and 23. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Minister of Transport (1) if he is aware of the dangerous corner on the Uttoxeter trunk road A.50 at the junction of High Street and Uttoxeter Road, Upper Tean; and whether, in view of the increase in the amount of traffic and the fact that children have to cross this point on their way to school, he will make a grant in order that the road at this point may be made safe;
(2) the number of accidents and fatalities on the Longton-Uttoxeter trunk road A.50 at the junction of High Street and Uttoxeter Road, Upper Tean, Staffordshire, for the past 10 years, inclusive.
Mr. BraithwaiteI agree that an improvement is desirable, but we have no funds for it at the present time. Accident records are only available since the beginning of 1946, and in the period of over seven years since then 12 accidents have occurred. None involved death or serious injury, and no school children were concerned.
§ Mr. DaviesWhilst thanking the Parliamentary Secretary for that reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that since 1937 the clerk to the local parish has been appealing to the county council and to the Ministry to do something on this main A.50 artery; that county councillors, the police and the road safety committee are aware of these dangers; that every day 200 children pass over this right-angled point going to school; and will he do something to improve this road, by setting aside a little money in the next Estimates, before some of those 200 children die?
Mr. BraithwaiteSome property at and near this junction was acquired in 1946, of which the hon. Gentleman is doubtless aware, for highway widening, but the scheme would require the demolition of about ten inhabited houses, and it is not regarded as urgent enough to justify this at present even if the funds were available.
§ Mr. DaviesWill the Parliamentary Secretary believe me when I tell him that only yesterday I took the trouble to travel over that road, over which I have travelled very frequently; that heavy lorries pass over it night and day; that there are cottagers on the corner who are worried every day; that although nothing has happened, it is a credit to the transport drivers that the danger is not as great as it might be; and will he see that something is done, or try to, in the next Estimates.