§ Mr. Russellasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the need to use every method to help to overcome the parking problem in London, what further encouragement he is giving to the provision of multi-storey garages.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe provision of off-street parking facilities, including multi-storey garages, is essential to the ultimate solution of the London parking problem and I can assure my hon. Friend that I am giving every help and encouragement within my powers to local authorities and private enterprise, on whom responsibility rests, to provide additional accommodation.
Until controlled parking schemes such as the one now operating in north-west Mayfair spread throughout central London, however, motorists will continue to prefer to park free of charge for long periods at the kerbside rather than use off-street parking facilities for which they would have to pay a reasonable charge. My hon. Friend will no doubt be glad to learn that already the north-west May-fair scheme has stimulated considerably the interest of private developers in the provision of multi-storey garages.