§ Sir L. Everardasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that parts of Whitehall and Parliament Square are to be re-surfaced this year; what type of surfacing is to be laid down; and whether he will ensure that the new surfaces will be non-skid as in some of the adjacent streets?
§ Captain WallaceThe Westminster City Council do not propose to resurface any part of Whitehall this year but the carriageway on the North and East sides of Parliament Square will be repaved during the Parliamentary Recess in August and September. I understand that it is proposed to use woodblock paving as in the adjacent carriageways. No direct grant from the Road Fund is involved as the work will be carried out under the "block grant" provisions of the Local Government Act, 1929.
Whilst therefore I have no power to prescribe the precise material for the re-paving of this roadway, I very much hope that full consideration will be given to the vital importance of a non-skid surface.