§ Lord Granville of Eyeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in view of the increasing traffic congestion in the area of Parliament Square they will now consider adopting "No-Go" measures for large tourist coaches and other heavy vehicles to facilitate the approaches to the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey during the tourist season.
§ The Earl of AvonAs I explained to the noble Lord last November, traffic regulation in London is the responsibility of the Greater London Council. Heavy lorries not requiring access are already banned from the central area of London, which includes Parliament Square. The exclusion of coaches from this area would be hard to justify because of its attraction to visitors. I understand that the view of the Metropolitan Police is that it is in fact the large number of1312WA pedestrians making their way to the Abbey and the Palace of Westminster, rather than coaches, that affects traffic conditions in the area of Parliament Square.