§ 9. Mr. Beswickasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in order to help relieve the traffic congestion on the roads and the overcrowding on the Piccadilly and Metropolitan rail lines to Uxbridge, he will instruct the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee to make a special inquiry into the possibilities of making full use of the branch railway line from Paddington to Uxbridge via West Drayton.
§ Mr. WatkinsonAs the hon. Member will know, this is essentially a matter for the British Transport Commission, which is responsible for deciding the services to be provided on this line, and if an independent assessment were desired, it could most appropriately be obtained by means of representation to the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for the London area.
§ Mr. BeswickIs the Minister aware that it really is not good enough when the Minister of Transport appears to be contracting out of this business, which involves the traffic congestion in London as a whole? It is a scandal that this valuable ground from Paddington to Uxbridge is being sterilised and not used 388 for the purpose for which it was intended originally. Will he please do something about it?
§ Mr. WatkinsonAll I am saying is that it would be right and constitutional for this matter to be put forward through the Transport Users' Consultative Committee, which has powers then to recommend to me.