Mr. T. MORRISasked the Minister of Transport the number of accommodation crossings which exist in this country; and whether, in view of the serious mishaps which occur to trains on such crossings, he will endeavour to enforce some better system of supervision and control for the safety of the travelling public?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI cannot say how many railway accommodation crossings there are, but there can be little doubt that the number of such crossings largely exceeds the number of public road crossings, and may be 10,000 or more. During 1933, 43 train accidents in which 13 persons (including six pedestrians) were killed, have been reported at railway occupation crossings, as compared with 140 train accidents, in which eight persons (including six pedestrians) were killed, at public road crossings. As my hon. Friend will see,40W the risk of accidents at occupation crossings is relatively not large, and while I have no power to enforce the provision of safeguards for the travelling public, the attention of railway companies or other parties concerned will be called to any recommendations which may be made in any reports on accidents of this kind made by railway inspecting officers.