asked the Minister of War Transport whether, in the interest of movement of traffic, he will have the situation at the two level crossings at Poole investigated, with a view either to eliminating the crossings or to speeding up the closing and opening of the gates.

I am informed that postwar planning schemes under discussion between the Poole Corporation and the Southern Railway Company include proposals for the abolition of Towngate and High Street level crossings. The present instructions for closing the gates to road traffic to allow for rail movements over the crossings provide for margins not exceeding three minutes which are considered to be the minimum consistent with safety.