§ Captain BULLOCKasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the large number of accidents at level crossings, the Government will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to provide for the installation of automatically-locking level-crossing gates throughout the country?
§ Colonel ASHLEYClose attention is continually being given by my officers to the question of the proper protection of railway level crossings, and I should not hesitate to ask Parliament for further powers should I find that my present powers are inadequate. With regard to the particular suggestion made by my hon. Friend, I am advised that, although it might have certain advantages, it could not be recommended for general adoption at the present time. I am glad to say that on a few important main roads the allocation of grants from the Road Fund has rendered it possible for local authorities to face the expense of erecting bridges over level crossings, while in other cases, as on the London-Tilbury road at Purfleet, and at Coln-brook on the Bath Road, the construction of new by-pass roads has been undertaken to afford alternative and shorter routes free from level crossings.