HC Deb 02 March 1896 vol 37 cc1476-7
MR. G. C. A. DRUCKER (Northampton)

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that between the hours of 12 and 4 in the afternoon, certain roads in Hyde Park are very little used by the general public; and, whether he can see his way to allow cyclists to use these roads during those hours?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I am afraid that I cannot at present add anything to the statement which I made in the House as to cycling in the park, in my reply to the hon. Member for the Bosworth Division on the 13th of February. I wish to obtain experience of the working of the present rules during the summer months when the traffic is at its heaviest.

MR. C. B. B. McLAREN (Leicester, Bosworth)

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that, in consequence of his recent statement in the House as to the inconvenience caused to large numbers of bicycle riders using the road on the north of the Serpentine in Hyde Park by horsemen and carriages unnecessarily frequenting that road before 12 in the morning, there has been a very considerable decrease in the number of horses and vehicles passing along that road; and that inconvenience and danger is still caused by empty flys and by private carriages, and horses in charge of servants only passing along and in some cases standing in the road; and, whether, in the circumstances, he can see his way to direct the constables to divert such last-mentioned vehicles and horses along another route, and to intimate to other persons about to ride or drive along that road the inconvenience of doing so until after 12 o'clock?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I do not see my way, without an alteration of the rules of Hyde Park, to give directions for the diversion of horses and empty carriages in charge of servants from the road north of the Serpentine, as suggested by the hon. Member; but the police will do all they can in the matter; and I would once more appeal strongly to the riding and driving public to show all the consideration they can to the cyclists using that road up to 12 o'clock, by not frequenting the road previous to that hour, and further I would appeal to owners of carriages to give stringent orders to their servants not to use the road in question when driving empty carriages, a practice which can give no pleasure to themselves and which causes great annoyance to cyclists.