HL Deb 27 July 1999 vol 604 cc175-6WA
Viscount Bridgeman

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the North Carriageway of Hyde Park was closed in preparation for the Open Air Concert on Sunday 4 July; and when it is to be re-opened; and [HL3733]

In view of the serious and extended disruption to traffic in the Bayswater Road and at Marble Arch caused by the closure of the North Carriageway of Hyde Park in preparation for the Open Air Concert on Sunday 4 July, what further similar events are planned; and what steps they are taking to reduce the resultant disruption to traffic in the area. [HL3734]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr David Welch. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter to Viscount Bridgeman from the Head of Policy of the Royal Parks Agency, Ms Viviane Robertson, dated 27 July 1999.

In the absence of the Chief Executive, David Welch, I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your parliamentary questions about the closure of North Carriage Drive to traffic in preparation for the concerts in Hyde Park this summer. This is an operational matter which is the responsibility of the Royal Parks Agency.

We closed the road from 22 June, the date the contractor started to build the site for the concert on 4 July. The site took four days to dismantle and was immediately followed by the setting up of a smaller concert site for the series of concerts starting with Cliff Richard on the weekend of 16–18 July inclusive. The road was re-opened on 19 July.

There are further concerts on 24 and 25 July and on 30 and 31 July. We will close North Carriage Drive during these weekends and from 1–4 August while the site is being dismantled. The Proms in the Park take place on 11 and 12 September and we shall close the road from Tuesday 7 to Wednesday 15 September while the site for these concerts is being set up and dismantled.

We close North Carriage Drive because the police carried out a risk assessment last year and decided that it would be necessary to close the road to ensure the safety of both motorists and pedestrians while site traffic was using it to set up, service and dismantle the concert sites.

We inform Westminster City Council, who are the relevant highway authority, about the closure. We also liaise closely with the Metropolitan Police, and would re-open North Carriage Drive if they requested it because of an emergency that affected traffic on Bayswater Road.