HC Deb 28 November 1968 vol 774 cc702-3
16. Mr. Anderson

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what directions he gave to the Welsh Council to consider the local economic and social implications before the Railways Board submitted its proposal that train services between Newport and Hereford and Newport and Gloucester should be discontinued.

Mrs. White

The Council was consulted before my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport decided not to give grants in aid of these services and will be consulted again on the proposal to withdraw the local service between Newport and Gloucester. The local service between Newport and Hereford does not involve statutory closures and can be withdrawn by the Railways Board at its discretion.

Mr. Anderson

Does not my hon. Friend recognise that much of the excellent work of the Welsh Office in Monmouthshire can be put at risk by unwise decisions on railways? Is it not ridiculous that the Monmouthshire County Council and the Severnside Survey were not consulted before these decisions were made? Does not this argue for second thoughts and for the Welsh Office to have a much bigger say in these decisions?

Mrs. White

As I have already indicated, both the Welsh Council and my right hon. Friend have been consulted, and my hon. Friend has recently put his other points to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

Mr. Roy Hughes

Will my hon. Friend appreciate that there is much concern locally about the proposed closure of the Newport to Gloucester line and that a number of hon. Members have made representations to the Minister of Transport about it? Will my hon. Friend give an assurance that her Ministry will now back up those representations which are being made?

Mrs. White

I much regret that my hon. Friend should use the phrase "closure of the line", because no such thing is proposed. It is proposed to discontinue local services. While we fully appreciate that this may cause inconvenience and, possibly, hardship, this is a matter which will have to be discussed by the transport users' consultative committee and again by the Welsh Council if the Minister of Transport decides so to proceed. At the moment, all that my right hon. Friend has said is that he will not give a grant.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

Will the Minister accept, however, that whether it is the closure of a line or of a service, it is much the same thing to those who are getting their livelihood at Newport and, perhaps, living at Hereford? Is the hon. Lady satisfied that her Office is doing enough with the Ministry of Transport to stop it closing these very important services?

Mrs. White

We have, of course, considered the matter very carefully. As to the Newport—Hereford line, the intercity trains will be stopping trains, but some of the local services which were not well patronised will be withdrawn.