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1828. Is that owing to the increased traffic?—Yes. The traffic is
so great that foot passengers will not go along it unless they are actually
compelled. Ladies or that class of passengers will not go shopping.
(Mr. Eustace.) For instance, a relative of mine, who is a retired
tradesman, has actually left the road from the noise and dust, and gone
to reside elsewhere. "We are compelled to be at great expense in
watering our roads twice a day to keep down the dust to make the place at
all habitable, otherwise we should suffer very severely in our rating.
This is through traffic, and not traffic from which we benefit, but traffic
coming from other parts and going to other parts of London. "We
really derive no benefit from it whatever in our parish, so that we
would impress as earnestly as we can on the Commissioners that in case
anything like a general rating of any kind, either a tax on carriages or
horses, or a county rate, or a district rate, that we are certainly fully
entitled to receive our proportions for mileage along with the other
parishes. Rates have been expended on the roads totally distinct from any
parish account whatever, so that for all practical purposes there has been
quite a distinct board kept up. That was previous to the Metropolitan
Local Management Act.
(Mr. Hodson.) It is also the opinion of the first-class shopkeepers
in the immediate neighbourhood , that if these toll gates are removed
it will increase their business 20 per cent, at least.
1829. (Chairman.) If the toll gates are removed which are now
outside the boundary ?—Yes.
(Mr. Aldridge.) I may state, in conclusion, as a general principle
that we think it fair that each parish should pay for the repair of its
own roads.
The witnesses withdrew.
Adjourned.