HL Deb 20 December 1972 vol 337 cc1077-8

2.38 p.m.

LORD MONTAGU OF BEAULIEU

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) Whether the Ministry of Transport were originally consulted and if so what advice was given, before the Greater London Council were permitted to construct a new office building in the centre of the roundabout at the Southern end of Westminster Bridge; (2) Whether in future the Department of the Environment will discourage such buildings which so clearly obstruct main arterial routes in and out of London.

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, the consent of the Ministry of Transport was obtained to the appropriation of highways land for this development. Provision has been made for an East to West underpass if required in the future. Any proposals for other developments of this nature must be judged on their merits.

LORD MONTAGU OF BEAULIEU

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply; I am sure that it will be of considerable satisfaction to know that an underpass is being considered. In view of the fact that four important roads meet at this junction, is it not a pity that this was not considered earlier when the need was so obvious? Secondly, while the construction is in progress, perhaps the police could try to control the traffic a little more, morning and evening, since the "jam" at this place is getting to be impossible at the moment.

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord. Of course he will appreciate that the restrictions on the traffic are exceptional as a result of the building operations. They will be much eased when it is finished as there will be no access, for normal purposes, to the building from the road that goes round the roundabout. I will draw the second point that he raised to the attention of the appropriate authorities.

LORD HAWKE

My Lords, which is the Southern end of Westminster Bridge?—which on my map appears to run due East and due West.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, will the Government keep a very careful watch on the safety factor around this particular circus? With this building, it seems to me that there is a real risk of loss of visibility and that accidents may occur as a consequence of that.

LORD SANDFORD

Yes, my Lords, these are the responsibilities of the Greater London Council; but I will see that attention is drawn to that point.