§ SIR HENRY HOAREasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether he will not continue to the inhabitants of Kensington and the public generally the use of the carriage drive in Hyde Park between the Alexandra and Queen's Gates which runs parallel with the Kensington Road, such use having for many years past been of considerable importance and service to them, more especially during the London season?
§ MR. AYRTONSir, I can assure my hon. Friend that no steps shall be taken to alter the usage in regard to this road, without due consideration and a regard to the convenience of all classes of the community. My hon. Friend, in his Question, states that this piece of road is used as a carriage drive by the public in general. I think I ought to observe that although the public in general may drive over this road in their own carriages, yet I imagine that a very small portion of the constituents of my hon. Friend, and of mine also, no doubt, are able to avail themselves of that permission. The public in general go on their own feet, and some of them would like, perhaps, to go there in cabs. That, however, would not be within the usage that has been observed in regard to the road; so that, in fact, a large class of the community derives no benefit from it. When the works are completed it will be necessary to consider what is best to be done for the whole community. It may, perhaps, be thought desirable to shut the road during the night; or it may be found, on the whole, more agreeable to every body that it should be converted into a promenade; but no course will be adopted until after the most careful consideration of all the conflicting claims that are entitled to be heard.