79. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport by what authority the Marylebone Borough Council employ traffic wardens in plain clothes to supervise parking meters; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Transport to what extent his regulations permit the employment of plain clothes parking meter inspectors, as recently criticised by Mr. Justice Elam at the London Sessions.
§ Mr. MarplesTraffic wardens may be employed only by a police authority and must be in uniform. The St. Marylebone Borough Council employ parking attendants to supervise metered parking places for which they are the local authority. They do so under powers derived from Part IV of the London Government Act, 1939. Within the terms of that statute the manner in which they exercise their powers is for the council alone to determine. I understand that all the parking attendants employed by the St. Marylebone Council are normally in uniform, but that one or two are used occasionally in plain clothes to obtain evidence of persistent and serious breaches of the law relating to the use of parking places.