§ 62. Sir Richard Pilkingtonasked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on the traffic hold-up due to a large load in Chepstow on Friday, 14th April; how long the traffic dislocation lasted; and what steps were taken to restore the traffic flow to normal.
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§ Mr. MarplesA girder 110 ft. long stuck in Beaufort Square from 2.45 p.m. till 8.30 p.m. blocking the east-bound stream of traffic through Chepstow. As the obstruction could not be cleared without heavy lifting gear the east-bound traffic was diverted through other streets where signal-line working held up traffic.
I am informed by the Chief Constable that the police were only notified of the movement of this girder as it left the Fairfield Engineering Works, thirteen minutes before it stuck. They were not asked for, and had no opportunity to provide, an escort.
The movement of loads of this length will require special authority from my Department when the proposed new controls on the movement of abnormal loads are introduced.