Reading made substantial comment on the initial consultation paper last year and is pleased to see that almost all the points made have been taken up by the New Deal for Transport. We would like to support the White Paper in its entirety.

  There is, however, one point made in our submission that seems to have been omitted. Reading made a suggestion that the concepts from decriminalised parking under the Special Parking Area powers should be applied elsewhere. It seems to us that these principles could be applied to speed enforcement and restricting use on bus lanes. Any enforcement undertaken by the local authority and the fines collected form the activity should then go back into local transport provision. This form of activity should be regulated as in the Special Parking Area provision by application to central government.

Lesley Punter

Head of Planning and Transport

25 September 1998