§ 29. Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made in his department's efforts to persuade local authorities in the London and Greater London area to provide off-street parking facilities for heavy lorries.
§ Mr. Tom FraserMy Department has continued to encourage local authorities. I understand that the City of London now has certain plans but that otherwise only one other authority is considering what might be done. Clearly much more is needed. Public off-street parking for about 1,200 lorries has so far been provided commercially. I have no powers to provide lorry parks but the Greater London Council will have. I hope that it will be prepared to use them where appropriate and to encourage the boroughs to meet more local needs.
§ Mr. SmithIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the problem is increasing weekly and that more and more lorries are parking in residential roads in Greater London, causing grave embarrassment to local people who are suffering considerable loss of amenity value? Is it not time that greater urgency was initiated by the Ministry?
§ Mr. FraserThese lorries parking in residential streets are a very great nuisance. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that I have no legislative power to do anything about it. I cannot provide the car parks for off-street parking for lorries. I think that we could do very much more than has been done so far, however. I am willing to have discussions with the local authorities, as I have said before, and I am making an appeal to the Greater London Council to do a great deal more than has been done hitherto. I will do all I can to bring pressure to bear on the local authorities to provide these facilities.