HC Deb 22 October 1990 vol 178 cc11-2
9. Mr. Stern

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on investment to increase the use of suburban railway lines.

Mr. Parkinson

I am always ready to approve investments in local rail services that are financially sound or can be justified by cost-benefit criteria.

Mr. Stern

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that reply. May I draw his attention to the lines that run from Severn Beach to central Bristol, through Avonmouth and Shirehampton in my constituency? Does not study of that line show that what the area needs is not so much investment as a willingness by British Rail to publicise the existence of the line and protect the frequency of services, which could do so much to get people to their work on Severnside and in central Bristol without using the roads?

Mr. Parkinson

The problem with the line in question is that it is using out-of-date, worn-out rolling stock because of late deliveries from manufacturers, running up to two years late, of new stock which would replace the old and unreliable stock. One of the reasons why the service is not marketed actively is that British Rail regards it as unreliable and is determined to get a better service before it starts encouraging people to use the line.

Mr. Doran

This is the fifth successive question dealing with transport in the south of England. People in the north-east of Scotland react with a hollow laugh—

Mr. Speaker

Order. There are other suburban railways in Scotland.

Mr. Doran

I had always assumed that Bristol was in the south.

People in the north-east of Scotland react with a hollow laugh when we hear all these discussions about transport problems in the south and promises from the Secretary of State of huge sums of money to improve them. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a genuine fear, particularly in the Grampian region, that we shall become isolated because of our transport problems? British Airways has refused to give us a shuttle service, British Rail has refused to invest a meagre £80 million in electrifying the east coast line, and all the 17 miles of single carriageway between Aberdeen and Rome are located between Aberdeen and Dundee. When will there be a real direction in transport policy to help not just the south but the rest of the country?

Mr. Parkinson

As the hon. Gentleman knows, roads north of the border are the province of the Scottish Office. However, I can deal with his point about the railways. We shall be completing the electrification of the east coast main line through to Edinburgh. The new 158 services were introduced between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the first of those services using air conditioned, modern diesel units. ScotRail has had at least its share—most people south of the border would say more than its share—of investment. As to the roads connecting Scotland——

Mr. Speaker

Order. The question is about railways.

Mr. Parkinson

I will just make this last point. I hope that the hon. Gentleman is pleased that the A1 is to be upgraded to motorway standards.

Sir David Mitchell

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the widespread welcome for his announcement that British Rail will have the go ahead to put new rolling stock and new trains on the services from Exeter, Salisbury and Andover to Waterloo? Does he accept that that announcement is long overdue and that British Rail should have brought proposals forward much earlier?

Mr. Parkinson

I am glad that my hon. Friend is pleased about the announcement. He has led the charge for that investment. I am pleased to tell him that as the new trains come forward for delivery, and as the 18-month gap is closed, we expect to see some of the regions with more new stock and a great improvement in the service.

Mr. Snape

Is the Secretary of State aware that, whatever he says publicly, the reality of travel on Britain's suburban railways is a saga of delays, cancellations, overcrowding and high fares? None of his speeches, plans and promises have made any difference to that. Does he accept that after the Government's 11 years in nominal charge of British Rail and nearly five years in charge of the London Underground system, none of us is surprised that he did not get a standing ovation at the Tory party conference? If he does not put up some money instead of just wind and talk, he will be lucky to get a clap next year.

Mr. Parkinson

As one compliment deserves another, I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on not being elected Opposition Chief Whip. The figures may disappoint him, but I should like him to listen to them. Since we took over in 1979, £6,000 million has been invested in British Rail. A further £4,000 million is to be invested in the next three years, so cheer up—good news is on the way, the service will get better and the hon. Gentleman will become redundant.