Transport: Shared Space Crossings

Lord Davies of Oldham Excerpts

Thursday 8th January 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Davies of Oldham (Lab)]

My Lords, one of the sites that received enormous attention was Exhibition Road, between the museums in South Kensington. Over Christmas time I sought to escort three grandchildren, all under the age of 10, out of the Science Museum to the V&A. They moved out into a road which was absolutely tenanted by pedestrians, because the museums are enormously popular, but the other side of the road was temporarily free of pedestrians and then one car and one taxi went past at about 30 miles per hour—the speed limit is meant to be 20. We cannot possibly have a situation where the speed limit is not maintained and surveyed carefully in these spaces; otherwise, pedestrians are greatly at risk.

[Baroness Kramer]

I would be very happy to try to encourage enforcement. That is obviously part of the programme which should be in place.