HC Deb 16 January 1984 vol 52 cc2-3
2. Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail about the improvement of London commuter services.

The Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. David Mitchell)

This is among the subjects discussed at the regular meetings that we have with the chairman. We have today approved British Rail's proposal to electrify the 24 miles of line from Bishops Stortford to Cambridge at a cost of about £10 million. This will lead to improved commuter services to Liverpool street. We have also concluded that the proposal to provide a second electrified service to Cambridge via Royston would not be justified financially.

Mr. Cartwright

Is the Minister aware that British Rail is planning cuts in off-peak services in the south-east division of up to one third, that peak-time services to areas such as Woolwich will be cut by 25 per cent., and that there has been no public consultation on these proposals? As much of the south-east of London has no tube services and many congested road links to the centre of London, how can the hon. Gentleman justify such major cuts of rail services?

Mr. Mitchell

The hon. Gentleman should consider the proposed cuts in proportion to the total service. He talks of cuts of one third, but if an off-peak service is reduced from three trains an hour to two, that reduction constitutes a cut of one third. There has to be a sense of proportion. Overall cuts in the southern area are 2 per cent.

Mr. Rhodes James

Is my hon. Friend aware that my constituents and I are immensely grateful to the Government for deciding to undertake the Liverpool street development? We regret the decision that they have taken on the Royston-Cambridge development, but I ask him to give an assurance that it could be reviewed in the light of the improved economic circumstances.

Mr. Mitchell

Anything can be reviewed. It is not economic circumstances so much as producing a viable investment project which provides the most economic way of moving passengers between those two points.

Mr. Sims

Further to my hon. Friend's exchange with the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright), will he take an opportunity to remind the chairman of British Rail that our constituents are both his customers and, as taxpayers, his paymasters? Will he suggest that, if British Rail wants understanding, sympathy and support for the type of radical changes that it is proposing, it would be common sense and common courtesy to consult the Members of Parliament representing the affected areas?

Mr. Mitchell

A considerable amount of consultation is carried out by British Rail with local authorities, community groups, the Transport Users Consultative Committee and the London Central Transport Consultative Committee. I am prepared to draw to the attention of the chairman of British Rail the suggestion that Members of Parliament should be consulted as well. However, one should keep a sense of proportion. There have been cuts, especially in off-peak services that are lightly used, but there have also been increases in other services— for example, East Croydon, Reigate, Horsham, Portsmouth, Hayes, Tonbridge, Dartford and the new non-stop half-hour service to Gatwick every 15 minutes. It will be quicker for people to get to Gatwick than to Heathrow because of those new services.