HC Deb 15 June 1992 vol 209 cc637-8
4. Mr. Raynsford

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will visit Greenwich to consider how the unique heritage assets of the area can be best promoted and preserved.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for National Heritage (Mr. Robert Key)

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State visited the national maritime museum on 26 May, and I am a regular visitor to the borough.

Mr. Raynsford

I thank the Minister for his answer, but I stress that the unique and special element of the national heritage represented by the centre of Greenwich is more than merely the national maritime museum and requires urgent attention. Does the Minister recognise that the current appalling levels of traffic congestion are destroying and damaging that unique location? Is he prepared to discuss with his colleagues at the Department of Transport effective measures to restrict that traffic before the unique assets of the nation's and Greenwich's heritage are damaged irreparably?

Mr. Key

Yes, I will. I should like to take the matter up with the borough itself. I visited Greenwich last Thursday, taking advantage of the one-line Whip, and renewed my acquaintance with the centre. I agree entirely that there is a tremendous problem of traffic, both around the centre and further along towards Woolwich. I have a long association with St. Alfege's church, as one of my forebears spent a long time just before the second world war raising funds to repair the roof. Unfortunately, he did not inform the Luftwaffe. There is a tremendous heritage in Greenwich, which needs protection, and the borough will receive a great deal of attention from me because it has some of the most wonderful secret parts of our heritage —for instance, the Trinity museum of 1616. I am well aware that there is more to Greenwich's heritage than the national maritime museum.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Will my hon. Friend consider whether there are ways of encouraging Greenwich, like other boroughs, to contribute to the process of drawing tourists away from the main pressure points so that not only Greenwich receives environmental improvement? The site of the royal arsenal in Woolwich and Eltham palace in my constituency could be opened so that people could gain from the heritage of the whole borough. That would require co-ordinated action.

Mr. Key

Yes—and I have enjoyed singing in Eltham palace in my time. I visited the Woolwich arsenal site last Thursday evening to see how well the Ministry of Defence is playing its part. I was disappointed with the old entrance to the Woolwich dockyard area, but we could do something to improve that, too.