Freedom to Load Will be Reconsidered
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A LTHOUGH it had been decided to ri allow goods vehicles to continue to load and unload in certain streets in London, despite the fact that the ban on parking was to begin at 8.30 a.m. instead of 11.30 a.m., the matter would have to be reconsidered. This was reiterated in the House of Commons last week by Mr. George Nugent, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Mr. Ernest Davies initiated a debate -on the new parking regulations that come into effect on Sunday. He said that whilst provision muit be made for the carrying on of legitimate business, the intention of the regulations to free traffic flow would be defeated if there were not a total ban on collections and deliveries in congested places at peak hours.
Mr. Nugent thought that the present Government had accepted a recommendation by the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee that a ban on loading and unloading might eventually be desirable, it was thought wise to suspend action after last year's public inquiry.
Strong objections had been made to the proposed ban. He could not say how long it would be before the matter would be reconsidered, but the Traffic Advisory Committee would watch the working of the new regulations.
Mr. Nugent thought that the present arrangeinent, with traffic flowing through dense shopping areas, could not continue indefinitely. The Ministry were sympathetic to ideas for elevating footpaths to first-floor level and arcading at ground level to provide wider carriageways, but the impulse for them had to come from local authorities.
Mr. Nugent added that the only way to ensure fair use of congested streets was to ration the limited amount of kerb space. Mr. Davies withdrew his motion, calling for the annulment of the regulations.