HC Deb 25 February 1976 vol 906 cc352-3
3. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to transfer traffic from road to rail.

The Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Anthony Crosland)

The White Paper on Public Expenditure published last week already shows a large shift in the balance between road investment and rail investment. Comparing 1973–74, the last year of Conservative Government, with the focus year 1978–79, road investment will fall by 24 per cent. while rail investment will rise 41 per cent. The question referred to will be discussed at length in the forthcoming consultative document.

Mr. Canavan

Does my right hon. Friend accept that a shift from road to rail traffic will lead to better standards of safety as well as to better standards of conservation of the environment and of energy? Is it not the case that the Secretary of State is inhibited by the regulations and policies of the EEC, which advocate the freeing of road haulage from quantity and tariff licensing restrictions and the reduction of railway systems to try to make them pay their way?

Mr. Crosland

On the first point, I share my right hon Friend's aspiration. The matter will be discussed at length in the consultative document.

My answer to his second question is "No". We shall not be inhibited by any regulations, because many of the EEC countries are stricter on their road haulage industries than we are in this country and because all of them face the problem of trying to finance transport in economic difficulties.

Sir John Hall

Does the right hon. Gentleman accept that if the recommendations in the Report of the Expenditure Select Committee dealing with urban transport planning, published in December 1972, were fully implemented, that would go a long way towards dealing with the problem raised by his hon. Friend and it would certainly solve many of our transport problems?

Mr. Crosland

I have sympathy with the hon. Gentleman and I hope that the consultative document will reflect much of the thinking in the Select Committee's Report.