§ 5. Mr. Pageasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will ensure that the new central traffic squad of the Metropolitan Police will give as much additional attention to the safe conduct of those on foot across the road as to the speeding up of the traffic flow.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeThe object of the new squad is not solely to speed up the flow of vehicular traffic, but to reduce both accidents and congestion in the interests of all classes of road user. including pedestrians.
§ Mr. PageAm I right in assuming that this new traffic squad came into being as the result of the extra police drafted into the Metropolitan area during the rail strike, and that it was advertised as being to speed up the traffic? Cannot those who have to undergo the ever-growing hazards of trying to cross the road on foot have their own particular traffic squad to look after them?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeThen we should have more police than pedestrians and drivers. This squad is for traffic as a whole and is not peculiar to vehicular traffic. Obviously the more vehicular traffic is controlled the safer the roads will be for pedestrians.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonWould the right hon. and gallant Gentleman allow the new traffic squad to operate in areas where conditions do not appear to be too satisfactory, as in the area of Sandhurst?