§ MR. MACKARNESS (Berkshire, Newbury)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he has ever received any request from the London County Council to limit the rate of speed allowed to motor vehicles in London; and whether, in the absence of such a request, he has any power to act.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS,) BatterseaI do not find that any application under the Motor Car Act, 1903, has ever been received by the Local Government Board from the London County Council for regulations with regard to the speed of motor cars. In the absence of such an application, the Board have no power to act, except as regards any specified highway or part of a highway which does not exceed sixteen feet in width, or on which ordinary motor car traffic would, in their opinion, be especially dangerous. I should add that the powers of the County Council in this matter do not extend to the City of London.
§ *MR. MORTON (Sutherland)Is the Local Government Board considering the desirability of giving the police power to settle the routes that these vehicles should take?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSA private Bill has been introduced seeking to confer on the Commissioner of Police power to divert traffic. In my opinion the Commissioner of Police should have had that power long ago.
§ MR. MACKARNESSasked if the speed of motor-cars was limited to ten miles an hour in the Royal parks, while in crowded thoroughfares they travelled at a much higher speed.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSsaid he was aware of the fact. But the Royal parks could not be compared with the London streets.
§ MR. MACKARNESSIs not the traffic much less in the Royal parks than in the main roads?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSreplied that the Local Government Board had no jurisdiction over the Royal parks.
§ MR. HAROLD COX (Preston)asked if the Home Office had not some control over the Royal parks?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSYes, through the police.