HC Deb 10 August 1966 vol 733 cc1676-7
4. Mr. Albert Roberts

asked the Minister of Transport what recent consideration has been given by her Department, in its studies of rail transport cost and demand, to the electrification of the rail service beween Kings Cross and the Yorkshire and Humberside region.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Mr. John Morris)

Electrification of this route will be among the possibilities taken into account for the research into trunk route transport costs mentioned in paragraph 98 of the White Paper on Transport Policy (Cmnd. 3057); but my right hon. Friend has no proposals before her from the Railways Board for actual investment in such a project.

Mr. Roberts

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that this part of the country always seems to be the last in the queue? Will he also consider that this suggestion of the electrification between Kings Cross and Leeds City Station was made many years ago?

Mr. Morris

I would not accept that my hon. Friend's part of the country is always last in the queue. The London-Newcastle corridor is one of the routes for study, and railway electrification is one of the technical options for study if the potential traffic seems to warrant it.

Sir R. Cary

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the overwhelming success of the electrification of the Euston-Manchester-Liverpool line which completely justifies this Question asking for long-distance electric traction elsewhere? Is he saying that the capital cost would be so great in the immediate years ahead that there is no prospect of this being implemented?

Mr. Morris

I know that we are all very encouraged indeed by the success of the electrification of the Liverpool-Manchester-London line. I am sure that hon. Members on both sides of the House have read the article in today's Financial Times on this aspect of the matter. On this issue what we are now doing is to have an inquiry into the relative costs of taking traffic by road and by rail, and if that study which is now in hand justifies further extension we shall take the necessary steps. As regards further electrification, in particular there is a feasibility study now taking place relating to the Weaver-Glasgow line.

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