HC Deb 20 June 1973 vol 858 c654
3. Mr. Sydney Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future of traffic in already congested areas of cities and towns.

Mr. Peyton

No, Sir.

Mr. Chapman

As every other family now has a car and the proportion is likely to increase, do the Government intend to deal with the matter on a national scale or leave it to local authorities to deal with the increasing problem haphazardly and at their whim?

Mr. Peyton

I did not mean for a moment to suggest by the brevity of my answer that the Government do not take the problem very seriously. Local authorities have a big rôle to play in dealing with it, but I accept that the Government cannot avoid large responsibilities.

Mr. Cant

Will the right hon. Gentleman give the House the assurance that he will not follow the fashion made popular by the Select Committee on Urban Motorways that the car is to be utterly banned from our cities? Will he urge local authorities to seek a compromise between the motor car and public transport?

Mr. Peyton

Yes, indeed, Sir. If only one were dealing always with other people's transport, the problem would not exist.