§ 2.59 p.m.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government, now that it has been decided to make Piccadilly permanently a one-way street, which has had the desired effect of substantially increasing the speed of the traffic flow, if they will have installed two sets of traffic lights, one approximately one hundred yards east of Bond Street, the other approximately one hundred yards west of Piccadilly Circus, to enable pedestrians to cross the road; whether they will further so arrange the phasing of the lights to include an all red phase of a duration which will enable pedestrians in the act of crossing to reach the other side of the road before the vehicular traffic is given the green light.]
§ LORD CHESHAMThe Ministry of Transport's traffic engineers will be discussing with the Police and representatives of the Westminster City Council tomorrow a number of possible ways of improving this one-way working system. Among these are the provision of signalled crossings at the two points suggested by the noble Lord, and also one to replace the uncontrolled crossing about 200 yards west of the Circus. If signalled crossings are provided reasonable time will be allowed for pedestrians to cross. But as Piccadilly is quite wide, those starting late in the "Cross now" period may have to wait on a central refuge.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, may I express my gratitude to the noble Lord for the helpfulness of his 1092 reply? Is he aware that speeds of motor cars along Piccadilly are now vastly in excess of the legal limit? Will he bear in mind that this situation should be rectified as soon as possible, and also take note of the suggestion I have made in the last part of my Question, that the "red" period must be sufficient to allow elderly gentlemen—may I say?—as well as the mile-a-minute people to get across the road?
§ LORD CHESHAMYes, my Lords. It is, of course, that kind of consideration which makes us eager to continue improving this and other such systems. The noble Lord will realise that, while we agree basically with what he says in the last part of his Question, with a wide road such as Piccadilly there is always somebody who begins to cross right at the end of the appropriate period, and if we were to allow for everybody the light would never change at all.
§ LORD WILMOT OF SELMESTONMy Lords, may I have permission to ask a supplementary question? In view of the increasing volume, density and speed of traffic in London and in big provincial cities, should the Government not consider the installation of lights indicating when pedestrians may cross the road and, as in some continental cities, indicating the period during which they may cross the road, and take steps to enforce that as part of the traffic light system?
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, while that point does not, perhaps arise strictly from the original Question, it is something that has been quite extensively considered and is already practised. And I can assure the noble Lord that such consideration is going on for the future. He may like to know that between the various countries who have other schemes which are by no means uniform, a good deal of international co-operative work is going on in the matter.
§ LORD WILMOT OF SELMESTONMy Lords, was I correct in understanding the noble Lord to say that the system is already instituted somewhere in this country, and that there are indications to pedestrians as to when they may or may not cross?
§ LORD CHESHAMYes, my Lords, in quite extensive instances.