HC Deb 26 November 1990 vol 181 cc607-10
8. Mr. Jacques Arnold

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new trains British Rail has on order.

Mr. Parkinson

British Rail has on order, for delivery up to 1994, 787 coaches for electric trains, 630 coaches for diesel trains, 15 channel tunnel train sets and about 170 locomotives.

Mr. Arnold

Is my right hon. Friend aware that my constituents are fed up with the cattle truck conditions that they suffer when commuting to London? Is he further aware that they are looking forward to the introduction of the Networker trains, which will do a great deal to help? When can my constituents expect that relief to be on track?

Mr. Parkinson

The north Kent line is undergoing a modernisation programme costing more than £467 million. Some 63 stations will be lengthened to take 12-coach trains and the most modern commuter trains running in Europe will be introduced on the line next September. There will be brand-new signalling along the whole of the line and a new maintenance depot to ensure that the new equipment is properly maintained. Huge investment is taking place, which is good news for my hon. Friend's constituents.

Mr. Dalyell

Will the Secretary of State ask his officials to give him a report on the quality of the stock available on the Edinburgh-Linlithgow-Dunblane line?

Mr. Parkinson

Yes, I shall do that for the hon. Gentleman. I spent the day with ScotRail a week last Friday and I was very impressed with the new service between Edinburgh and Glasgow, which has the new 158 trains that are air conditioned, fast, clean and reliable. I was also impressed with the service on the Bathgate line, which has been reopened. I shall give the hon. Gentleman the answer to his question.

Mr. Higgins

Should not my right hon. Friend be congratulated on his success in obtaining money from the Treasury—not only last year, but in the autumn statement this year—hugely to increase investment in British Rail and elsewhere in the transport system? Will he ensure that publicity is given to the sort of information that he has just provided, not least that on the new terminuses in London that are being greatly improved, so that the travelling public will know that improvements are on the way?

Mr. Parkinson

I am pleased to confirm that there is more than £7,000 million in the programme for investment in public transport, both rail and underground, for the three years beginning next April. That is in addition to the record programmes now under way.

Mr. Prescott

Is the Secretary of State aware of the statement made recently by the right hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine) that he intends to devote far greater resources to railway investment, even at the expansion of a reduction in tax? As that is clearly at odds with what the Secretary of State has told the House, is not it time that the right hon. Gentleman accepted my suggestion that he should resign, before he is sacked in three days' time?

Mr. Parkinson

The hon. Gentleman's English is matched only by his powers of logic.

9. Mr. Rowe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on investment in British Rail.

Mr. Freeman

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said, we have provided for up to £4 billion of investment by British Rail over the next three years —the highest level for 30 years in real terms. Of that, £1.4 billion is for channel tunnel services and £1.3 billion for Network SouthEast.

Mr. Rowe

My hon. Friend deserves congratulations on his Department's provision of that huge amount of money. He recently saw for himself the enormous cost, in environmental and money terms, that is carried by Kent because of the colossal increase in the number of lorry movements in the country. When he examines British Rail's investment programme, will he take into the mathematics the cost savings in the road programme if he encouraged British Rail to make more sensible plans for carrying freight on the railways?

Mr. Freeman

I agree with my hon. Friend's sentiments. We must encourage the transportation of as much freight as can sensibly be carried by rail. We expect to make an announcement after Christmas that will bring together the various strands of British Rail and Department policy on freight. Sir Fred Holliday, a member of the British Rail board, is conducting a study of the environmental impact of channel tunnel rail services and we expect him to report next spring. I am sure that my hon. Friend will be interested to learn that. W. S. Atkins, an independent consultancy, will review the processes by which British Rail will reach a conclusion next spring on the right route for the high-speed rail link into London.

Dr. Marek

The Minister said that he would welcome an application from British Rail for electrification of the Crewe to Holyhead line. However, he must realise that British Rail will not apply, because, although European money is available, the Secretary of State would deduct it from grant that British Rail might be given for investment elsewhere. Money is available, uniquely, for the Crewe to Holyhead line, which would serve a development area and offer a direct international connection between member states of the European Community. What encouragement can the Minister give British Rail to produce plans for the electrification of that line for the Department's consideration?

Mr. Freeman

Of course, we welcome any grant from the European transport fund, which this year stands at approximately £50 million, and which is expected to rise to £100 million next year. However, those sums are modest if one remembers that they are available for all 12 countries in the Community. Any grant, however small, is helpful and appreciated., but the European fund is by no means a panacea and will certainly not assist the hon. Gentleman in his promotion of a high-speed rail link from London to Scotland. Sufficient funds are not available now from the European transport fund and they will not be available.

Mr. Gale

Further to the earlier answer of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, does my hon. Friend share the concern about the north Kent line felt by Members of Parliament representing Kent constituencies? Will he confirm that British Rail investment will not only cover the inner-city area but will extend all the way down to Thanet?

Mr. Freeman

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I are very mindful of the need to improve services on the north Kent line. I hope to visit my hon. Friend's constituency shortly, to explore with him and to understand better his constituents' concerns, which he has represented clearly and forcefully. British Rail plans to make improvements to the line, but that will be done as resources are available.