Off-Street Parking Facilities

HC Deb 25 January 1967 vol 739 cc1477-8

30. Sir R. Russell

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent it is her policy to arrange for local authorities to take over responsibility for all off-street parking facilities in their areas.

Mr. Swingler

We encourage local authorities to provide a good proportion of off-street parking space themselves. They must decide what the proportion should be.

Sir R. Russell

Will the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that his right hon. Friend will not encourage this to be a monopoly which might be used for introducing pricing schemes or other methods of traffic control?

Mr. Swingler

Local authorities are responsible for parking policy and they have planning powers precisely in order to try to relate the provision of parking space to the amount of road space available, and that is what my right hon. Friend wants the local authorities to do. In other respects no one has put forward a proposition for a complete monopoly.