HC Deb 12 December 1932 vol 273 cc24-5
37 Lieut.-Colonel MOORE

asked the First Commissioner of Works

  1. (1) if he is aware that the 20-mile speed limit ill the Royal parks is not being strictly enforced; and what action he proposes to take to ensure the law being carried out;
  2. (2) the number of accidents, fatal or otherwise, which have been recorded as having occurred in each of the Royal parks since the 20-mile speed limit was introduced, specifying day and night separately;
  3. (3) the number of offences against the speed limit which have been recorded in respect of each of the Royal parks; the action taken by the police; and the number of convictions registered?

The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)

The speed limit of 20 miles an hour has been in force in the Royal Parks since 1920. It would hardly be possible to compile statistics for the whole period. I think it would be sufficient to give the figures for one year, and I accordingly am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT those for the year ended 30th September last. It will be seen that action has been taken in 5,837 cases of exceeding the speed limit in the parks, and that there were 3,871 convictions recorded. In view of these figures, I am satisfied that the police and the park keepers are taking every practicable step to secure the enforcement of the speed-limit regulation.

Lieut.-Colonel MOORE

Will the hon. Gentleman in his answer refer to the accidents which are the subject of Question 38?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

I am giving a table, park by park, of the fatal and nonfatal accidents, and separating them by day and night.

Lieut.-Colonel MOORE

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is very considerable anxiety on this subject among the general public

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

I agree that, in spite of the efforts of the police, the number or casualties caused by motor vehicles in the parks is still regrettably high.

Mr. BERNAYS

Will the hon. Gentle-man see that the law is applied as stringently in the case of the high-

ROYAL PARKS.
(a) Offences against the Speed Limit Regulation during the year ended 30th September, 1932.
Park. Number of offences recorded. Number of Convictions. Number of cautionary letters issued by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis,
Hyde Park. … … 1,399 1,134 265
Green Park. … … 1,341 787 554
St. James's Park. … … 1,334 751 583
Regent's Park … … 1,566 1,002 564
Richmond Park … … 170 170 —
Bushy Park. … … 12 12 —
Holy rood Park … … 15 15 —
Total. … … 5,837 3,871 1,966
In Kensington Gardens, Hampton Court Gardens and Greenwich Park, no offences have been recorded.