East Coast Main Line (Hansard, 1 February 1988)

§ 7. Mr. Beith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next expects to discuss east coast main line services with the chairman of British Rail.

§ Mr. David Mitchell
My right hon. Friend plans to meet the chairman on 11 February and discuss a wide range of issues.

§ Mr. Beith
Now that it has become clear that it would be possible, after electrification, to run overnight and sleeper services to Tyneside and the Borders without deficit, and that it may be possible to devise a much cheaper compromise even before then, will the Secretary of State use his good offices to encourage the chairman of British Rail to seek a compromise on this matter?

§ Mr. Mitchell
The hon. Gentleman knows that these are commercial decisions for British Rail. I have already asked the chairman for his view on the points that the hon. Gentleman has raised with me in recent correspondence. Custom has fallen away and, at Berwick-upon-Tweed—I think the hon. Gentleman's station—on average, only two passengers a night in each direction use the service. The hon. Gentleman may be one of them. Keeping the service going for another three years would lose British Rail about £1 million.

Dr. Thomas
I welcome the investment on the east coast line. Will the Minister consider the impact of improvements of the east coast service on the west coast service from Scotland and on the Holyhead connection? Will he give an assurance that, at some stage, electrification of that service will be planned as well?

§ Mr. Mitchell
I have received no proposal from British Rail for electrification to Holyhead. Several west coast services will be improved as a result of changes that British Rail is introducing.

§ Mr. Snape
Does the Minister feel that deficiencies in the east coast service are behind the latest criticism of British Rail from those Left-wing malcontents in the City of London who are complaining that those deficiencies are having an adverse effect on the balance of payments? Would it not be a good idea if, instead of reading a brief prepared by civil servants every three weeks, the Minister and the Secretary of State left their chauffeur-driven cars at home for one week and suffered the same misery as everyone else?

§ Mr. Mitchell
I have to inform the hon. Gentleman that both the Secretary of State and I are frequent users of the railway system. Moreover, we are considering the City 690 group's report. Ministers have approved substantial investment by British Rail and London Underground Ltd. to improve services and relieve overcrowding. For example, nearly £60 million was approved for new rolling stock for the Great Eastern lines, nearly £18 million was approved for the Bedford to St. Pancras line and £75 million was approved for the tube. It is for British Rail to propose investments. We have approved all investments that it has put before us. I shall be very happy to have my in-tray filled again.