§ Mr. FELLasked the President of the Local Government Board if any further Orders have been granted for the construction of tramways on steep gradients; if his attention has been called to the recent accidents of tramway cars on such hills owing to the failure of the brakes to act; and if any brake has been found for tramway cars which is really efficient under all circumstances?
Mr. ROBERTSONMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. All proposals for tramways on steep gradients are carefully considered by the Board of Trade, and Provisional Orders authorising such tramways are submitted to Parliament for confirmation only when the Board are advised by their inspecting officer that, subject to the provision of proper arrangements and the exercise of due precaution, there is no ground for refusing sanction to the proposals. Some of the recent accidents to which the hon. Member refers were not due to any fault of the brakes, but to the brakes having been improperly used. There is no brake which is really effective in all circumstances if not properly used, but tramways on gradients are approved only on condition that the brakes provided are sufficient if properly maintained and used to control the cars.