Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport what special arrangements he proposes for dealing with traffic in Central London this Christmas.
§ Mr. MarplesThis year's Pink Zone scheme will start on 28th November. Its70W object will be to keep traffic moving and so help motorists and shoppers. The scheme is an improved version of last year's.
The Zone will be extended to cover the Victoria area and access routes into the Zone particularly through the City will be given special attention.
Apart from the 4,600 parking meters which will be available (there were only 1,100 last Christmas), 20 temporary car parks will be provided free. There will be about 50 per cent. more car-spaces than last year in the car-parks most convenient for shoppers. They will be open each weekday from 10 a.m. to midnight (with one exception). Last Christmas all car-parks closed by 10 p.m.
At important or difficult junctions in or leading to the Zone there will be yellow line markings on the carriageway. Here, no waiting, loading or unloading will be permitted between 8.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. (on weekdays) and 1.30 p.m. (on Saturdays).
Waiting restrictions will extend until 10 p.m., on Mondays to Saturdays inclusive in the decorated streets—Oxford Street, Regent Street, New Bond Street and Old Bond Street, and except at meter bays in the first 100 yards of any street leading off these streets. The extension to 10 p.m. will also apply to the following streets (but not to streets leading off them): Piccadilly (east of Bond Street), Piccadilly Circus, Coventry Street, Leicester Square (north side), Cranbourn Street, Charing Cross Road (south of Great Newport Street), St. Martin's Place and Trafalgar Square.
Information will be given to the public in leaflets and posters, copies of which I am placing in the Library.
I take this opportunity of thanking all authorities and organisations who have co-operated to make the scheme possible.