21. Mr. David Adamsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware of the difficulties experienced by the railway companies in finding adequate siding accommodation for empty railway wagons; and whether it is anticipated that the accelerated production of coal will absorb this surplus wagon supply at an early date?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport (Colonel Llewellin)No serious difficulty has been experienced by the railways in finding adequate siding accommodation for empty wagons. I anticipate that the surplus will be absorbed as winter approaches.
Mr. AdamsArising out of that answer, there appears to be abundant evidence that on the North-East Coast it is extremely difficult to find accommodation for these surplus wagons, and would it not be desirable to utilise some of them in the meantime for the short journeys prevailing in the shipyards?
§ Colonel LlewellinI think they could carry all the traffic we have at the moment, but, of course, when the days became shorter and it is not possible to travel so fast in the black-out, more wagons are needed because they are longer on the line.
§ Mr. James GriffithsDo I gather from that reply that, having regard to the experience of last year, the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's Department is entirely satisfied that there is adequate siding accommodation?
§ Colonel LlewellinI would not say that, but we are making immense improvements, doubling lines in various places— which for obvious reasons I will not disclose—and also installing marshalling yards.