§ 2.54 p.m.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a Statement upon the road transport facilities provided from the Victoria Air Terminal to and from Heathrow Airport; and whether or not these are to be curtailed or expanded.
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, British Airways operate a bus link from Victoria Terminal to and from Heathrow Airport. Passenger demand for such services has reduced since the opening of the Underground link with Heathrow and the service is unprofitable. Its provision is a matter for the British Airways Board who keep the economics of the operation under constant review. At the moment British Airways have no plans to curtail or expand the service.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, I hope that that Answer and old information is as unsatisfactory to the noble Lord as it is to me. May I ask him whether he recalls that in January 1974, under a Conservative Government, the check-in service was removed from West London Terminal, although it was used by 1⅓ million passengers; that in April of last year, under a Labour Government, what was left of the service at West London Air Terminal was also withdrawn, although it was used by more than a million passengers in the preceding 12 months? Arising from that, does the noble Lord not feel that with present taxi rates to and from Heathrow being in the neighbourhood of £10 from Central London, passengers should be given the option of paying for a viable bus service? I am not asking for a subsidised service.
Secondly, is the noble Lord aware—and I take it from his reply that he is not—that I have information which leads me to believe that very serious inquiries are being made at the moment—and that the trade unions are most disturbed by these—to withdraw the service from Victoria Terminal?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, the noble Baroness is asking for a viable bus service and that the public should have the right to subscribe to such a viable bus service. They have had several chances to do that. The present service is not viable, and indeed the service from the West London Air Terminal was not viable either. That is why they were withdrawn.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, the noble Lord would lose on that, but the House has not time to go into all those old arguments. May I ask the noble Lord whether he remembers that on 18th July last year, when I raised this matter with him, he said this:
Passengers for Central London, who are elderly or infirm or who have more baggage than they can carry on the Tube, are expected to use the British Airways bus service to the Victoria terminal …"?—[Official Report; 18.7.79, col. 1491.]May I take it that the noble Lord still stands by that, and that we shall not suddenly find the bus service withdrawn before we have even had a chance to comment on it?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, this is primarily a matter for British Airways. As I have said, British Airways have no plans to withdraw this service at the present time. As for the future, I am afraid my crystal ball is no better than that of the noble Baroness.
§ Lord PARRYMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that some of us are grateful that the noble Baroness is able to monitor the behaviour of British Airways in respect of these matters, and in view of the statement which was made since this House last dealt with a question on this issue, is he prepared to tell us at this stage whether the Government plan to make an early Statement on the alternative uses of regional airports in view of the massive strain on public utilities, such as the one raised in the Question, because of the pressures on Heathrow and other airports?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, as I said in the Statement which I repeated in this House before Christmas, the Government certainly have it as their policy to encourage the fullest use of regional airports, including those in Wales 12 and Scotland. Depending on demand we shall do what we can to encourage new international services to them.
§ Lord GISBOROUGHMy Lords, is the noble Lord in a position to say anything about the road link to Gatwick, which surely must be one of the worst connections by road between any major airport and major town?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, I think that is rather a different question.
§ Lord SEGALMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that there is no direct Tube connection between Victoria and Heathrow Airport, and would it not be desirable to undertake a reconstruction of Hammer-smith Broadway underground station to enable a direct line to run from Victoria to Heathrow?
§ Lord TREFGARNEMy Lords, there are many parts of London which do not enjoy a direct Tube service. I am not sure that the expense of the project envisaged by the noble Lord would be justified.