§ Mr. SUMMERSBYasked the Home Secretary if he is aware of the congestion of traffic in Kingston-upon-Thames owing to the road repairs along the main street; and if he will instruct the police authorities to put up notices to guide motorists through the town by other routes and to station extra constables to help motorists to avoid the main street, especially when an unusual volume of traffic is likely to occur?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI am aware that since December last, work has been in progress in Kingston which involves the taking up of the tram lines and the reconditioning of the roads concerned. Before the work was begun alternative routes were arranged for through traffic which was advised to proceed by the Kingston by-pass, thus avoiding the town altogether, and for certain classes of traffic with destinations in the Kingston area which were advised to proceed by suitable side roads. Attention was called to these alternative routes by suitable notices. Police officers have also been specially detailed for duty at the appropriate road junctions in order to direct drivers. Moreover, when special events likely to attract traffic to the vicinity are in progress, Press and broadcast notices 2153W are issued giving warning to drivers. The Commissioner of Police informs me that on the whole these measures have worked reasonably well, though a number of drivers have shown reluctance to use the alternative routes that have been indicated. At present, however, work is proceeding on a portion of Kingston Bridge in respect of which it is not possible to effect any local diversion of traffic, and until this stage of the work has been finished a certain amount of congestion and delay is inevitable. The whole of the roadworks are expected to be completed in about three weeks' time.