HC Deb 03 March 1965 vol 707 cc1305-6
11. Mr. Wall

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement about the experiment on a modified form of parking restriction outside schools.

56. Mr. Hamling

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a further statement regarding experiments on parking restrictions outside schools.

Mr. Tom Fraser

I intend to start an experiment next month outside 10 selected schools in London. Waiting by vehicles for any purpose will be prohibited at specified times when children are likely to be going to or from school. Some of the school entrances have been made safer by repositioning gates, erecting guard rails and so on. I hope this will show us the way to keep school entrances clear and safe when children are using them, without imposing needlessly restrictive measures or placing too heavy a burden on the police.

Mr. Wall

While welcoming that statement by the Minister, can he say what additional road marking this will involve? Will he undertake to furnish full information to local authorities so that they will be able to extend the scheme if it is successful?

Mr. Fraser

There will be some additional road marking, which is, of course, not obligatory by itself, but these other restrictions which we propose will be statutory restrictions. We have to experiment with the different ways of protecting children outside schools in the hope that we shall find a way suitable for extending the provisions and so making schools safe throughout the country.

Mr. Powell

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there will be disapointment at the slowness with which this consideration is proceeding? It is two and a half months since he told the House that he was arranging this experiment, but he has not, apparently, arranged it yet.

Mr. Fraser

For 13 years—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—there were discussions about the need for something to be done. Two and a half months ago I said that something would be done. I have had my discussions with the local authorities and the police, and something will now be done.

Mr. Strauss

Is my right hon. Friend aware that reference to HANSARD will show that many of us have been pressing for such an experiment for many years and that he is to be warmly congratulated on at last putting this into operation?

Mr. Fraser

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend.