Victoria Line

HC Deb 24 January 1962 vol 652 cc192-3

21. Mr. Fletcher

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the recent announcement on the subject by the London Transport Executive, what are now his intentions with regard to the construction of the proposed new Victoria underground line to north-east London.

Mr. Hay

The announcement was made because the local authority's building plans were affected by the proposed change of route. It makes no difference to the position on the construction of the line, which remains as stated in my right hon. Friend's Answer to the hon. Member of 26th July, 1961.

Mr. Fletcher

Does the Minister realise that the traffic congestion in this part of London is getting worse and that the construction of this line is now overdue, and that it has been recommended and approved by all the responsible bodies and the Department? If cost is the only matter which is to blame, will he not consider that the line will have to be built sooner or later and that the longer it is delayed the more it will cost?

Mr. Hay

I have answered the Question on the Paper. So far as the wider issue of the construction of the line is concerned, the position remains as stated by my right hon. Friend last July. A decision on building the Victoria line has had to be deferred because of the difficult economic situation in which we are at the moment.

Mr. Strauss

Is the Minister aware that the Government always give what in their opinion is some good reason why this line should not be built, and that the reason changes from time to time? Can the Minister tell us what the next reason will be when the present excuse is no longer valid? Is there the slightest chance that this line, which every expert has declared to be highly desirable and indeed urgent, will ever be built?

Mr. Hay

As the most recent estimate of cost is somewhere between £50 million and £60 million and that it will run at a substantial loss year by year, I should have thought, in the context of our present economic situation, that was a very important reason.

Sir L. Ungoed-Thomas

And will remain so permanently.