East Lincolnshire (Hansard, 31 July 1963)

§ 22. Sir J. Maitland
asked the Minister of Transport why he accepted the conclusions of the Beeching Report before a detailed and precise case for the rationalisation of the East Lincolnshire rail services had been made out.

§ Mr. Marples
The Government have accepted in principle that the railway system needs reshaping on the lines proposed by the Railways Board. But we have made it clear that decisions on individual passenger closure proposals will be reached on their merits. This applies to all the Board's passenger closure proposals including those in Lincolnshire.

§ Sir J. Maitland
But is it not a fact that this part of the Beeching Report is coming to be seen more and more as 445 an inspired guess? Is it right to jeopardise the economic considerations and amenities of perhaps half a million people in this matter? Further, has he considered the effect which the deliberate reduction of traffic on lines such as this is going to have on him when he has to decide between the relative merits of the economic importance of closing the line and the hardships which will result to the people who live near it?

§ Mr. Marples
Nothing is jeopardised by the proposals in the Beeching Report. They are purely proposals of the Railways Board. Previously the Board was criticised for presenting its proposals piecemeal. It was said that it should have a plan. Now it has produced a plan, and it is said that it jeopardises the position. It does not. In the case of passenger closures it can only propose; the decision lies with me, and I shall take into account any questions of hardship. The transport users' consultative committees have been appointed purely for the purpose of assessing what the degree of hardship is.

§ Sir J. Maitland
But the trouble is that at the end of the story the Minister will have to decide between closing a line which has been completely denuded of its possibilities of being efficient in the meantime, and which is then completely uneconomic, against possible hardship. Could not he stop the railways diminishing the efficiency of the lines until he has been able himself to balance up the economic viability and the hardships involved?

§ Mr. Marples
The railways cannot stop anything. All they can do is to make proposals, which are considered on their merits. Objections can be made. My hon. Friend can make what objections he likes about any proposal when it comes forward, and I hope that he will. But I shall decide each case on its merits, to the best of my ability.

§ Mr. Ross
Is it the Minister's intention to make these controversial decisions during the next three months, when Parliament is not sitting?

§ Mr. Marples
Under a Statute that has been passed the Railways Board will put its proposals forward, as and when it thinks right, to the transport users' consultative committees, which will consider 446 the proposals on their merits and report to me. I will make my decision according to the merits of each case.

§ Mr. Strauss
Does not the Minister think that when there is a proposal for a large-scale closure, affecting a very large area, it is an important matter which should be considered by this House? Does the Minister propose that when such a large-scale closure is proposed, before he makes a final decision there will be an opportunity for Parliament to express an opinion on it?

§ Mr. Marples
When the proposal is made by the Railways Board it will go to the transport users' consultative committees, which will make their report and recommendations. They will consider proposals in public. Objectors, whoever they may be, can appear before the committee and explain what hardships will be involved and what alternative services should be provided. The transport users consultative committees will report to the Minister. It is then up to me to take into account what has been said about hardship and alternative services, and about any other point that anybody wishes to make. I hope that local authorities and other interested people will send in their submissions. Any Member who wishes to make a point can do so after a transport users' consultative committee has made its recommendations to me, and before any decision is made.