§ LORD JESSELasked His Majesty's Government who was responsible for the organisation of the traffic arrangements at the Aldershot Review and whether any steps have been taken to investigate the reasons for the delay which prevented the arrival in time of many of the public?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (VISCOUNT HALIFAX)The traffic arrangements were co-ordinated by the local military authorities and were the same as those which worked successfully during the Aldershot Tattoo. The real explanation of the unfortunate delays, which have caused great regret, is that the roads to Aldershot were inadequate to deal with the large volume of motor 777WA traffic which was concentrated on them in a short space of time. Not only was the car traffic to the Rushmoor arena heavier than on any night of the Tattoo, but, owing to the early hour of the Review, it was spread over a much smaller space of time, and coincided with the heavy exodus from London to the South Coast and the heavy traffic towards London which normally occurs on a Saturday morning. The arrangements were further complicated by the fact that, owing to the heat, it was 778WA necessary to bring troops from barracks at the last moment across the main traffic routes to the arena. In the light of events it would have been wiser to warn the public more expressly that an early start for the Review was desirable, and that the congestion of the roads was likely to be greater than in the case of the Tattoo. I can only express my great regret for the inconvenience caused to many of the public.
House adjourned at nine minutes past five o'clock.