QUESTION. OBSEBVATIONS. (Hansard, 28 May 1883)

§ EARL FORTESCUE
asked Her Majesty's Government, Whether they will object to complete their admirable improvement at Hyde Park Corner by opening a second carriage exit close to the lodge opposite Apsley House, as there is already a second carriage entrance there for the westward traffic; or, still better, making that a second carriage entrance, and the present second carriage entrance an exit on account of the rule of the road? He congratulated the Government on the great improvement which they had effected; and he hoped they would complete that improvement by providing a second carriage exit, for which there was ample room. There was space for a carriage way of 10 feet wide, like those through the three arches, with a footway on one side.

§ EARL CADOGAN
said, he cordially joined with the noble Earl in his con- 933 gratulation of the Government upon the admirable and substantial improvement they had effected at Hyde Park Corner, and in the suggestion which he had made; but he would like to embrace that opportunity of asking the noble Lord whether the Chief Commissioner of Works contemplated taking any steps to obviate the congestion of traffic between Hamilton Place and Piccadilly? Now was the time when such steps could be taken by the Department, either by widening Piccadilly or by some other means; and without this were done the improvement which had been made would be inadequate.

§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH
asked whether the Government would postpone their decision in reference to the final disposition of the Duke of Wellington's statue until after the Notice on the Paper—but without a date—by the noble and gallant Lord (Lord Strathnairn) should have been disposed of, as the noble and gallant Lord was a great authority on the subject?

§ THE EARL OF REDESDALE (CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES)
said, that the Notice had recently been placed on the Paper for Thursday.

§ LORD SUDELEY
The question of making a second carriage exit from Hyde Park, opposite Apsley House, has been for some time under the consideration of the Office of Works. They have also received a very large number of other suggestions and recommendations, some practical and some very unpractical. The First Commissioner does not, however, propose to make any other alteration at Hyde Park Corner until sufficient experience has been obtained during the next few months of the result of the great alteration and improvement which have lately been carried out. In any case it would be necessary to obtain further money, and no additional Vote is intended to be taken this year. As regards the congestion of Hamilton Place, it is, no doubt, perfectly true that some accumulation of traffic exists there; but the noble Earl must admit that it is considerably less than it was before Hyde Park Corner was thrown open. The First Commissioner is watching the subject very carefully, though he does not see his way to make any proposal at present. The congestion might be very considerably altered if the Metropolitan Board of Works were to see their way 934 to open another through route from the north to Piccadilly. There are at present only two, and a large portion of the traffic is thrown on to Hamilton Place. As the Notice on the subject of the Duke of Wellington's statue is coming before your Lordships on Thursday, I will defer my remarks upon it till that day.