§ 85. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Transport, in view of the fact that the Dartford Rural District Council contravened Section 128 of the Highways Act, 1959, on 20th January, 1962, by depositing a large number of caravans, lorries and sundry other articles on the verge of the A.2 trunk road near Dart-ford, what has been done to require the local authority to remove them forth-with; and, as they are still there, why he has failed to make complaint to a magistrates' court.
§ Mr. MarplesAs Section 128 creates no offence, the council did not contravene it. It was asked on 30th January what steps it proposed to take to ensure the removal of these vehicles, but made no proposals. A magistrates' order under subsection (2), if made, would authorise me to remove and dispose of them, recover my expenses and spend any balance on highway maintenance. I do not know whether the magistrates would so order, but I have no desire to deprive the inhabitants of these caravans of their homes, and I would prefer to see the problem salved by the voluntary cooperation of the responsible local authorities.