§ Lord AMULREEMy 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 whether they are sure that the GLC enforces the Greater London (Restriction of Commercial Vehicles) Traffic Order 1975 in relation to the passage of heavy lorries past Old Palace Yard, the number of which seems to have increased during the past few months.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, the enforcement of this order in respect of the road past Old Palace Yard is a matter for the Commissioner of Police 2 of the Metropolis. The Commissioner assures my right honourable friend that he devotes as much enforcement effort in this area as manpower resources and other police commitments permit.
§ Lord AMULREEMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Wells-Pestell, for his reply, which is satisfactory as far as it goes. However, can the noble Lord tell me whether the police ever do a series of spot checks, especially upon heavy lorries coming from Europe and abroad in general?
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, I think that the police do rather better than that, in the sense that there are a regular number of police on duty in the areas concerned. The evidence available shows that there have been fewer contraventions in recent months than in the previous periods. The difficulty that the police have as regards foreign lorries is, first of all, the language problem because the lorry drivers are often not aware that they are contravening one of our regulations. Secondly, when they are told, they are unable to understand it. Thirdly, if proceedings are contemplated, there is the difficulty of summoning a person who is non-resident in your Lordships' country.
§ Lord REIGATEMy Lords, is not some instruction given to drivers of vehicles arriving in this country as to the type of restrictions which they have to obey?
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, there should be. We really have no way of telling whether it is given, but it is certainly required of them.
§ Lord AMULREEMy Lords, I should like to ask one further question. Does the problem concerning lorries arriving with goods arise as regards coaches bringing tourists here? The number of coaches seems to have diminished in the past few weeks.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, I was aware when I saw the Question of the noble Lord, Lord Amulree, that he had asked a Question about coaches some time ago. I have looked into the matter and I find that, under the Traffic Management Order 1975, coaches are exempt, as are all passenger carrying vehicles. Therefore, they are not subject to the order.