Channel Tunnel (Hansard, 13 January 1986)

§ 5. Mr. Pike
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the safety provisions of the alternative transport systems put forward in the prospective Channel tunnel schemes.

§ Mr. David Mitchell
Concerns about safety have been included in a number of letters from members of the public and representative and voluntary bodies. Safety has, of course, been at the forefront of the Government's assessment of the schemes.

§ Mr. Pike
Will the Minister recognise that there is strong concern about the safety aspects of any Channel tunnel, whether rail or road, and the problems of satisfactorily dealing with an accident should it occur under the middle of the Channel? We want to be sure that if the project goes ahead such problems can be dealt with and that there will be adequate safety measures and facilities to deal with them.

§ Mr. Mitchell
The question of the results of accidents and how to deal with them is covered by the assessment.

§ Mr Crouch
Is my hon. Friend aware that I have been receiving a great amount of flak recently from my constituents for having given support to the idea of a fixed link? Has he any safety provisions—not for me, because I can easily get a flak jacket, as they are readily available these days—but for my consitituents, who are properly concerned about the possible destruction of the Kentish environment that the project might produce?

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. That is rather wide of the question.

§ Mr. Mitchell
The environment has been one of our major considerations, in which we have been assisted by an outside assessor. I assure my hon. Friend that the problems for his constituents and for all people living in one of our most beautiful counties have been taken into account.

§ Mr Stephen Ross
As the Channel Expressway is being reported as one of the two runners for this contract, will the Minister assure us that he is taking into account the problems of a 31-mile road link, the ventilation for that road, the extraction of carbon monoxide and the danger of an accident in such a tunnel?

§ Mr. Mitchell
Assessments have covered ventilation and the particular circumstances that would arise if there were an accident in the tunnel leading to a build-up of stationary traffic, with the consequent effect on the carbon monoxide level.

§ Mr. Alfred Morris
Is the Minister prepared to meet the North of England Regional Consortium to consider and respond in detail to its important views about the proposed link?

§ Mr. Mitchell
If those views are concerned with safety, of course I would be prepared to meet a deputation if the right hon. Gentleman wished to bring one.

§ Mr Harrison
On the safety considerations, will there be continuous adequate lighting in the tunnel, unlike the lighting provision on our motorways, especially the M1 and the M62, in both of which I have an interest?

§ Mr. Mitchell
The right hon. Gentleman will have to await the choice of project before he can have full details on such matters.

§ Mr. Robert Hughes
In deciding on which type of link to have, taking into account the safety aspects, will the decision be made by the Cabinet after full discussion of the Secretary of State's recommendation, or by the Prime Minister by political prejudice? If the latter, are we to expect further ministerial resignations?

§ Mr. Mitchell
The decision will be made by the Prime Minister and the President of France on 20 January. As always, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will consult her Cabinet colleagues before reaching a major decision.