§ 49. Mr. Ridleyasked the Minister of Transport what route mileage of railway track existed in October, 1964.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe route mileage of British Railways open for traffic at 31st December, 1964 was 15,991 miles. The figure for October, 1964 is not readily available.
§ Mr. RidleyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that when he gets the railways down to 11,000 route-miles the Labour Government will have closed 50 per cent. more miles of track than were closed in the whole 13 years of Tory Government? Can he say why it has taken two and a half years for the Government to decide to put a stop to railway closures? Is it because they have been waiting until they had closed every line they decided needed closing?
§ Mr. MorrisThe hon. Gentleman or his friends have tried to flog what I regard as a quite unrealistic view of this matter from time to time. In the last year of the Tory Government, approvals were given for the closure of 1,350 miles, and in the whole life of the Labour Government approvals have been given for only 1,300 miles. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to have the information, the last Tory Government closed or gave approval for the closure of 460 miles in the month before the 1964 election—more than has occurred during the whole 2½-year life of the Labour Government.