HC Deb 04 February 1954 vol 523 cc77-8W
Mr. G. Longden

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made in the development of F.I.D.O. at London Airport.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Development work on F.I.D.O. has now reached a stage

FATALITIES IN TRAIN ACCIDENTS RELATED TO PASSENGER JOURNEYS AND PASSENGER TRAIN MILEAGE
Year Fatalities Passenger journeys (millions) Passenger train miles (millions)
All Persons Passengers Number Per Passenger Fatality Operated Per Passenger Fatality
1948 … … 74 39 1,646 42 262 6.7
1949 … … 12 — 1,634 Infinity 275 Infinity
1950 … … 40 11 1,613 147 277 25.3
1951 … … 55 43 1,624 38 270 6.3
1952 … … 133 111 1,574 15 271 2.4
The fatalities in 1952 included 112 persons (108 passengers) killed in the double collision at Harrow and Wealdstone.

where, from the engineering aspect, no major difficulties in the construction of a full-scale installation are expected. However, experience in the United States of America with the only existing full-scale high pressure F.I.D.O. system has thrown considerable doubt on the efficacy of the system developed there as an acceptable aid to civil aviation. My Department is closely watching the American results and, in the meanwhile, are re-examining the costs and methods of financing a possible installation at London Airport to see whether a more attractive proposition can be made to the operators than the offer they were unable to accept in 1951.