HC Deb 09 May 1951 vol 487 cc1928-9
10. Mr. Dodds

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in view of the development of a twin engine helicopter, what consideration will be given to the possibility of a helicopter passenger station over the Charing Cross railway station, because of that site's several advantages in a built-up area.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (Mr. Beswick)

The Interdepartmental Helicopter Committee reached the conclusion in their recently published Report that initially commercial helicopter services should be introduced on cross-country routes and not on routes radiating from London where transport services are already highly developed. While, therefore, the selection of sites for rotor stations in the Central London area is not so urgent a problem, I should be glad to discuss a site at Charing Cross with my hon. Friend.

Mr. Dodds

If I send to my hon. Friend plans and explanatory matter as the result of much hard work and study of a special helicopter drome at Charing Cross or nearby, would he see that they are given careful consideration?

Mr. Beswick

I have a great respect for my hon. Friend's energy and imagination in this matter, and I will look into any plans which he sends along.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

Would the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the railway services to the provincial cities are still very much worse than they were before the war, and that if such a scheme were put into operation it would mean a considerable saving in time for foreign visitors wishing to visit provincial industrial areas, for example, the British Industries Fair at Birmingham?.

Mr. Beswick

I appreciate the right hon. Gentleman's desire for first priority, but I think that some of the right hon. Gentleman's Scottish colleagues might wish for first priority to be given to their areas.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that the more London traffic increases, the greater will be the traffic jams, which makes the need for my hon. Friend's scheme all the more necessary?

Mr. Nabarro

Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise that opportunities for a new helicopter service between Birmingham and London, which are our two main cities——

Mr. Speaker

We are now dealing with Charing Cross, which is rather different from Birmingham.