§ 26 and 27. Mr. Maxwellasked the Postmaster-General (1) how many people are now on the waiting list for a telephone in Bletchley; and what steps he proposes to take to reduce this waiting list; and
(2) when the new Bedford Telephone Exchange will be brought into service, including the installation of additional equipment with subscriber trunk dialling facilities at Bletchley; and whether he will make a statement.
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Mr. Joseph Slater)At 30th April, the waiting list at Bletchley totalled 472. An exchange extension and additional local lines, coupled with the provision of STD facilities, will enable all applicants to be connected in the late summer. The new Bedford exchange will be brought into service in July; subscriber-trunk-dialling facilities will be provided, at both Bletchley and Bedford, in September.
§ Mr. MaxwellI welcome my hon. Friend's Answer, which assures my constituents who are affected that the exchange is at last to start operating in July. May I ask him what steps he could take to speed up the connection 1684 in particular of the 420 people who need telephones in Bletchley and who have been waiting for them for such a long time? This is interfering with business as well as with the social amenities which they so urgently need in this growing town which is accommodating Londoners on such an increasing scale.
§ Mr. SlaterI can appreciate my hon. Friend's interest, in view of the correspondence we have had from him. The Bedford switchboard, which at present handles trunk calls from Bletchley and the Bedford area generally, is seriously overloaded and we could not cover the additional traffic which would be originated by new customers. Nevertheless, we are doing whatever we can to help.
§ Mr. Brian ParkynIs my hon. Friend aware that there has been great concern in Bedford about the telephone situation and that his reply that the exchange will at last be in operation this July will cause a great deal of happiness amongst my constituents?