Sir GEORGE HAMILTON(by Private Notice) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to make any statement of the attitude of the Government towards the provision of financial facilities to enable urgently required railway and other transport improvements in the London area to be carried out?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir. I am glad to say that as the result of negotiations which have lasted over many months arrangements have just been concluded between the Government and the Standing Joint Committee of the London Passenger Transport Board and of the main line railways under which, subject to the necessary Parliamentary sanctions, the Transport Board, the London and North Eastern Railway and the Great Western Railway, will enter at once upon a programme of great improvements and extensions of London transport.
In addition to the extensive schemes of work included in the private Bill of the Transport Board now before Parliament, the programme covers the electrification of the suburban lines of the London and North Eastern Railway in North-East London into Liverpool Street, and also of some lines in North London, as well as the construction or extension of tube railways to give new connections between these electrified lines and the City and the West End.
1872 I will circulate a more complete description of the programme in the OFFICIAL REPORT, and so far as hon. Members may wish for still further information, they will no doubt address their inquiries to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, who has been closely associated with me in the negotiations and who regrets, as I do, that the arrangements were not completed in time to enable a statement to be made on Monday in the discussion of the Vote for the Ministry of Transport.
Owing to the high level at which Government credit now stands—and I am of course assuming the continuance of that high level until the necessary capital is raised—an Exchequer guarantee of the loans to be raised will suffice to enable the board and the railway companies to undertake at once the whole programme, much of which would otherwise have had to be deferred.
The legislation required to authorise the guarantee will be introduced as quickly as possible after the Recess. That will be a Government Bill. Hon. Members will understand that with a programme of this magnitude, involving three undertakings, Parliamentary powers in the form of several private Bills will be necessary. In particular, I hope that the London Passenger Transport Board will be able to introduce very shortly a private Bill necessary to enable it to make immediate progress. In these circumstances I trust that Parliament will be willing to accelerate the passage of the necessary legislation to the maximum extent it may deem appropriate.
The programme involves the building of about 12 miles of new tube railways, the electrification of approximately 44 miles of suburban railway, the doubling and electrification of about 12½ miles of further suburban railways, and the substitution of trolley buses for tramcars on 148 route miles. The total cost of the works included in the programme is in the region of £35 millions.
I understand that it is hoped to complete the works within a period of five years from the date of the loan.
Sir G. HAMILTONMay I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his statement and say that the people in the eastern portion of London will be most grateful to him and his Government?
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask how soon we may expect a statement from the right hon. Gentleman or from the Minister of Transport, and on which Vote could we ask for that statement to be made, so that we could discuss it? I realise that there is to be a Bill, but it was said that if we wanted to discuss the matter and get further information we should communicate with the Minister of Transport, and I want to know how soon we might ask for the Vote on which these matters could be discussed, and whether that is a matter for the right hon. Gentleman or for the Minister of Transport.
Mr. CHAMBERLAINAs I have said, I shall be circulating some further details, and if after seeing those the right hon. Gentleman wishes to pursue the matter and debate it, I should imagine that the Vote of the Minister of Transport would be the one. No doubt he will make his inquiries through the usual channels.
§ Sir AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINAs measures requiring legislation have been announced, may I ask whether they can be discussed on a Vote in Committee of Supply?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am not in the Chair in Committee of Supply, but the House knows quite well that we cannot discuss questions requiring legislation on a Vote in Supply.
§ Mr. W. S. MORRISONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether there is any truth in the statement in to-day's issue of the "Times" newspaper that the right hon. Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George) has recently been very actively concerned in suggesting these proposals?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe cannot ask questions on reports in a newspaper at Question Time.
§ Sir BASIL PETOCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether the guarantee that he mentions will make any capital raised for these schemes a trustee investment
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINI think the hon. Baronet had better await further particulars. He will then see all the details.
Following is the more complete description of the programme:
The programme comprises three major schemes of development of the Under- 1874 ground and Suburban Railway systems in the London Passenger Transport Area. It also provides for the substitution of trolley buses for trams in various parts of London, the reconstruction of tube stations at King's Cross, Post Office, and certain other stations in the Central Area, the enlargement and improvement of the power supply of the London Passenger Transport Board, and other ancillary works.
§ Outline of the Proposals.
§ 1. The electrification of the London and North Eastern Railway suburban lines in North East London, and the construction of a tube railway to connect with them to give a direct service to the Central Area.
§ Under this scheme it is proposed to electrify the line from Liverpool Street to Shenfield, also the Loughton and Grange Hill branches. The tube railway will be constructed in continuation of the Central London line from Liverpool Street eastwards to a point where it will connect with the Loughton and Grange Hill lines, so as to permit of the running of through trains to stations in the West End of London and beyond.
§ 2. The electrification of the London and North Eastern Railway suburban lines of North London, and the extension of the tube railways to connect with them so as to give a direct service to the City and the Central Area.
§ Under this scheme it is proposed to electrify the Edgware, High Barnet and Alexandra Palace lines; to extend the Highgate tube to make a connection with these electrified suburban lines at Finch-ley; to extend the Northern City tube, which now terminates at Finsbury Park, to make a connection with the electrified suburban lines near Finsbury Park. Through services of trains will be operated from all branches to the City, and from the Edgware and High Barnet lines to the Central Area. A convenient interchange station will be provided at Highgate for passengers transferring from the Alexandra Palace branch to the services running to the Central Area.
§ 3. The construction and electrification of two additional tracks to the Great Western Railway from North Acton to Ruislip. The Central London tube trains now terminating at Wood Lane will be extended to operate over this line 1875 so as to provide direct services to the Central Area and the City in place of Paddington.
§ 4. The construction of a tube railway from Finchley Road to connect with the Bakerloo Tube, and the reconstruction of the electrified lines on the Metropolitan Extension Line.
§ Through services of electric trains will be operated from stations on the Metropolitan Extension Lines to the Central Area, as well as to the City, and a more regular and frequent service of trains will generally be provided.
§ 5. The reconstruction of the junctions and stations at Aldgate East.
§ This improvement will enable trains from the Metropolitan Line to be projected to Barking and Upminster and a full service afforded to these points.
§ 6. The substitution of trolley buses for tram cars on 148 route miles in different parts of the London Area.
§ 7. The reconstruction of stations at King's Cross, Post Office, and at other points in the Central Area.
§ These improvements, which include the substitution of escalators for lifts, will provide accommodation for the additional volume of traffic to arise from the new extension services which will come into the Central Area.