Bold Measures to Deal with Parking
Page 56
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THE construction of underground I garages beneath certain London squares and the introduction of parking meters, similar to those in use in th,: United States, are the main proposals made in the " Report of the Working Party on Car Parking in the Inner Area of London, 1953" (Stationery Office, 7s. 6d.). The extension of " no waiting" in the main streets and unilateral parking in minor streets are also suggested.
Grosvenor Square, Berkeley Square, Cavendish Square and St. James's Square are the sites put forward for underground parks. A total of 1,820 cars could be accommodated by them. Two multi-storey . garages would provide enough space for the remaining cars otherwise left on the streets.
If such schemes are realized, the reporr states, it might he possible to allocate some parks at present used by private cars for the exclusive accommodation of contract-hire coaches. Montague Place, Montague Square. Manchester Street and one side each of Bloomsbury Square, Tavistock Square, Fitzroy Square and Lincoln's Inn Fields might be reserved for coaches after
p.m. on weekdays and 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The police would require powors to direct coaches to these parks.
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Over 650 parking meters should be installed initially at about a dozen places in the West End, the working party recommends. A charge of 6d. would be made for one hour's parking and is. for two hours—the maximum permitted standing time. " We think it fair that lorries or coaches should pay for the number of spaces which they wholly or partly occupy, should they find it necessary to use metered sites," states the report.
This aspect of the matter is not expanded, but it may be inferred that meters would be placed so as to accommodate an average car between each two. A large commercial vehicle would take up two or three metered spaces and the parking toll, according to the working party, should be correspondingly multiplied. Whereas the parking meters might yield a surplus over their installation and servicing cost, the underground parks might run at a loss, the report considers.
No waiting restrictions are suggested for many streets, mainly in the St. James's district, also on the miter sides of those squares in which parking meters would be installed in the centre. Unilateral parking should apply to a :greater number of thoroughfares, chiefly in Mayfair.
The execution of the plan should involve the establishment of a parking advisory panel consisting of members representing road users, the trade unions, local authorities, the police and the Ministry of Transport. Private interests erzcting buildings should be encouraged to provide parking facilities on the sites.
Members of the working party included Mr. J. M. Birch, Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association, Mr. R. W. Birch, Public Transport Association, Mr. T. D. Botterill, Traders' Road Transport Association, Mr. J. , B. Burnells London Transport Executive, and Mr. J. S. F. Pollitzer, Road Haulage Association. The chairman was Mr. A. Samuels_
A reservation upon the recommendations is made by Mr. C. .0. Buchanan, Ministry of Housing, who has misgivings about the effects of underground parks upon the appearance of the squares, and is doubtful about the effects of short-period parkers using meters subsidizing the long-period parkers using subterranean premise's. He would prefer the parking problem to be dealt with continually by loeal authorities and building developers, rather than that an expensive plan be initiated.