§ Colonel ENGLANDasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the existing and continuing use of gas lighting in railway trains; whether he has made any representations to the railway companies that an electric-lighting system should be substituted; and, if so, with what result?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI am aware that a considerable proportion of railway car-242W riages is still lit by gas. The Board of Trade and the Ministry of Transport have taken the view that the use of electricity for this purpose is desirable in the case of all new and reconstructed passenger stock, and the companies, as a rule, have in recent years ceased to fit ordinary passenger carriages with gas lighting equipment, with the result that a gradual substitution of electricity for gas is taking place. The attention of the companies has also from time to time been drawn to the desirability of using electricity instead of gas, more particularly on main line and express trains, but the risks arising from the use of gas have not been held to warrant its absolute prohibition as an illuminant in railway carriages.