HL Deb 17 March 1953 vol 181 cc4-5
LORD BLACKFORD

My Lords. I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government up to what hours the various Tube stations on the processional route will be kept open for the convenience of spectators.]

THE EARL OF BIRKENHEAD

My Lords, I would refer the noble Lord to the announcement of Coronation travel arrangements made by the London Transport Executive yesterday. For the convenience of the noble Lord and the House in general, I am arranging for the full details to be published in Hansard.

Following are the details referred to:

. The London Transport Executive have made the following arrangements, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police, for the operation of their tube stations in the vicinity of the processional route on Coronation Day:—

  1. (a)Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park and Bond Street—will be closed after the finish of traffic on the previous night until after the procession is over.(N.B. Westminster will be open specially for certain privileged parties, e.g., school children, but will not be available to the general public.)
  2. (b)Traffic will be restricted at certain stations as follows—
    1. (i) Charing Cross—Northern Line trains coming from the south will not stop.
    2. (ii) Green Park—From 3.0 a.m. there will be no admission from the street. The station will be open only for the exit of passengers coming from the west.
    3. (iii) Holborn (Kingsway)—No interchange between Piccadilly and the Central Lines.
    4. (iv) Marble Arch—No admission from the street. Open only for the exit of passengers from the west and only until 9.0 a.m.
      5. 5
    5. (v) Piccadilly Circus—No admission from the street. Open until 9.0 a.m. for the exit of Bakerloo and Piccadilly Line passengers from the north Trains from the south or west will not stop.
    6. (vi) Strand—No admission from the street. Open only for the exit of passengers from the south.

2. All the above arrangements are subject to the general proviso that the police may find it necessary to order the closing of stations at any moment that the pressure of crowds above makes this necessary. This may be particularly applicable to Charing Cross, Marble Arch and Piccadilly Circus in the above list, and also to Oxford Circus and St. James's Park.