§ 55. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many zebra crossings were in operation at the beginning and end of 1953 and at the end of 1954.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterInformation for the dates mentioned is not available, but there were 10,008 zebra crossings at the end of March, 1953, and 10,151 at the end of March, 1954.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonDo not those figures confirm the dismal and deplorable fact that both relatively and absolutely, pro rata and otherwise, the number of persons killed and seriously injured on zebra crossings is steadily rising?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe figures, of course, relate to the number of crossings and not to the number of people hurt.
§ Mr. KeenanWill the Minister take into consideration the fact that the alteration of the zebra crossings and the reduction or stabilisation of their numbers has caused at the same time the disappearance of thousands of other crossings, in Liverpool and elsewhere? Now pedestrians do not know where they can cross the road. What is the Minister going to do about it?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI have already, more than once, explained to the hon. Member that my predecessor the right hon. Member for East Ham, South (Mr. Barnes) decided to make a large reduction in the number of striped zebra crossings. I am bound to say that the effect of that decision has been greatly to increase the respect for these crossings and, therefore, the safety given on them by both motorists and pedestrians.