§ 9. Sir W. Wakefieldasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the congestion and obstruction caused by parked lorries in the Smithfield, Covent Garden and Billingsgate areas, how many lorries have been towed away by the police in those areas since the practice of towing away vehicles was initiated.
§ Mr. RentonSmithfield and Billingsgate are outside the Metropolitan Police District. As regards the Covent Garden area my right hon. Friend is informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that twenty private cars, but no lorries, have been removed by the police. During market hours the area is closely supervised by the police, who have no difficulty in tracing the drivers of lorries which are causing serious obstruction.
§ Sir W. WakefieldIs my hon. and learned Friend aware that very serious obstruction was caused by these vehicles—which cannot be helped in that they are discharging a proper public function there—but should not similar facilities to those given to lorries in this market be given to doctors in a predominantly medical area?
§ Mr. RentonMy hon. Friend should not try to over-simplify this matter. In Covent Garden the lorry drivers can nearly always be found easily, but in the Harley Street area doctors cannot always be found, in spite of intense searches.
§ Mr. SnowWhere a doctor's car is usually left unlocked and there is plenty of room, why cannot the police just shift it? Surely it is very disagreeable for a doctor to come out and find his car gone when he has taken steps to leave it unlocked?
§ Mr. RentonThat raises a rather difficult question. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the last Road Traffic Act, which was passed, I think, in 1956, and in which this power is given.