§ 46. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give an estimate of the number of horse-drawn vehicles still on the roads; and if he will take steps to bar all horse-drawn vehicles from entering the congested areas of large towns, in view of the delay caused thereby and the increasing cruelty and suffering of the horses which are forced to try and compete with modern motor traffic.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe number is not known but the recent traffic census shows that the proportion of horse-drawn traffic is very small and is diminishing. In Inner London horse-drawn vehicles are prohibited in a number of important streets at busy times. In the circumstances I do not think there is a case for a general ban.