COACHES, CONGESTION, LAW-BREAKING & POLLUTION

That this House invites those concerned with congestion and pollution in London to observe the movement of commuter coaches in the vicinity of Victoria Coach Station, specifically in the use of Sutherland Street, Pimlico, in violation of police recommendations, voluntary agreements and now a ban approved by the Department of Transport at the behest of Westminster City Council; for an outstanding example of the arrogant disregard of road safety, commends attention to the manoeuvring of National Express and other coaches east bound along Lupus Street, necessitating driving on the wrong side of this road in order to swing into Sutherland Street northbound: speeding up Sutherland Street in excess of the limit: parking on Ebury Bridge regardless of Metropolitan Police `no coach parking' signs thereon: further law-breaking by parking illegally for hours with engine running in order to satisfy passenger temperature requirements regardless of the effects on local residents, other road users, cyclists and pedestrians, thus fouling the air with diesel fumes; agrees with the Metropolitan Police that the effect on London's traffic of coach deregulation has been horrendous; believes that coaches, like trains, should park only at stations at which local government taxes should be payable; and calls for a total unequivocal ban on coach parking in the streets of Britain's cities and towns at any other than authorised places.