HC Deb 06 December 1934 vol 295 cc1799-801
15. Rear-Admiral Sir MURRAY SUETER

asked the Home Secretary whether he will, in collaboration with the Minister of Transport, arrange for the cessation of the practice of public authorities permitting vehicles to be stored in public thoroughfares, in view of the fact that there are stables and garages available for a trivial payment, that stationary motor vehicles in public thoroughfares are a cause of fatal accidents and injury, and constitute an encroachment upon the rights of pedestrians and a nuisance to shopkeepers and residents in the thoroughfares affected?

Sir J. GILMOUR

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave to a question yesterday by my hon. Friend the Member for North Aberdeen (Mr. Burnett).

60. Sir M. SUETER

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state under what Act, by-law, or power drivers of motor vehicles are allowed to use public highways, such as the three sides of St. James's Square, London, as a storage place for vehicles; is he aware that 120 cars stored in St. James's Square project at right angles from the pathway and restrict the space for moving vehicles, hinder pedestrians from obtaining access to the pathway, and cause a nuisance to the occupants of neighbouring premises, in addition to obstructing pedestrians crossing the road from pathway to pathway: and will he direct the police to abate generally obstructions and nuisances of this description?

The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Hore-Belisha)

Section 10 of the London Traffic Act, 1924, empowers me to make regulations as to places in streets where vehicles may wait. St. James's Square has been used as an authorised parking place since 1925, and I cannot trace that any representations have, since that date, been made to my Department that this has created difficulties either for pedestrians, vehicular traffic or to the occupants of neighbouring premises. I am prepared to review any particular parking place, especially as garage accommodation grows.

Mr. GLOSSOP

Would not the whole question be met by reserving at least a free passage way for pedestrians to get on and off the pavement?

Commander MARSDEN

Is it the fact that this pathway is only a pathway round the centre of the square, and not a pathway used by pedestrians at all?