Major Trunk Routes (Development) (Hansard, 16 June 1965)

§ 1. Mr. Wingfield Digby
asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the development of the major railway trunk routes.

§ 14. Mr. Rhodes
asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the British Railways Board's plans, outlined in Map No. 21 of Development of the Major Railway Trunk Routes, he will seek powers to control the development and selection of routes for future intensive use.

§ The Minister of Transport (Mr. Tom Fraser)
The Railways Board's Report on the Development of the Major Railway Trunk Routes has been put forward by the Board to enable its ideas to be subjected to constructive criticism. I do not envisage any need for further powers to control the Board's activities in this connection.

§ Mr. Digby
Is the Minister saying that he will approve anything that the Railways Board puts up? He has had the Report in his hands since February. Is he aware that these trunk routes, if adopted, will leave out in the cold some of the most important counties in England, including Dorset?

§ Mr. Fraser
There is nothing in the Report about leaving out anything. It is made clear within the context of the Report that it is not a plan for action. It is a long forward look made by the Railways Board. There is no question of any action being taken on it in the immediate future.

§ Mr. Rhodes
Will the Minister reconsider the matter, because Map No. 21 proposes that the line linking the North-East Coast and Central Scotland is not to be developed? Is not this decision incompatible with the Government's policy for the economic development of the North-East? Will he bear in mind that his non-intervention in the matter could result in the deepest resentment in the North-East? Newcastle and Northumberland will not take lightly a decision to make them a railways cul-de-sac.

§ Mr. Fraser
The Report was prepared by the Board on its own initiative. The Report does not take into account the Government's policies in relation to national and regional planning. Any proposals which the Board brings forward in the future will be subject to the Minister's approval, but there is no question of my saying that everything which is written in the Report must be implemented. We all wish the Report to be used in the way in which the Railways Board has intended it to be used.

§ Sir W. Anstruther-Gray
May we take it from that reply that the Minister can be counted on to see that that portion of the north-east of England and the southeast of Scotland between Newcastle and Edinburgh will not be forgotten?

§ Mr. Fraser
I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that as long as I am in this job neither that part of Scotland nor any other part of Scotland will be forgotten.

§ Mr. Powell
As the previous Chairman of the British Railways Board indicated that proposals of this kind, whatever the details, were essential to getting British Railways out of the red, and as the present Chairman has indicated that to do that is one of his prime objectives, will the Minister undertake to give firm guidance to the Railways Board on what is his policy in this respect?

§ Mr. Fraser
The right hon. Gentleman knows that the Railways Board's policy is to get out of the red before 1984. This Report is an attempt to set out the shape of the trunk routes in the year 1984. There is no question of the implementation of this Report being essential to taking the railways out of the red. 'I his Report is not a firm plan at all.