HC Deb 12 May 1965 vol 712 c489
3. Mr. Peter Mills

asked the Postmaster-General why letters and parcels are not carried between Barnstaple and Bideford by British Railways.

Mr. Joseph Slater

Practically all the parcels, and large numbers of letter mails, are carried between Barnstaple and Bideford by British Railways, the latter mainly in the direction of Barnstaple. But much of the letter mail for Bideford is sent by road because we can thereby give the public a better service than we could by rail.

Mr. Mills

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that if he goes completely over to road transport for the carriage of these mails between Bideford and Barnstaple, there will be heavy congestion and delays in the summer months, and will he bear in mind also that in some of our minds there is the thought that this may be another nail in the coffin of the railway between Barnstaple and Bideford?

Mr. Slater

I am well aware of the hon. Gentleman's interest in the likely closing of this line, but I can tell him that the arrangement to which he refers has operated for many years, the mails concerned arrive at Bideford earlier than would be possible if they were sent by rail, and, because of this, we are able to give a better service to the public.