HC Deb 11 February 1991 vol 185 cc598-600
4. Mr. Butler

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of British Rail to discuss connections between the north-west and the channel tunnel.

6. Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of British Rail to discuss through trains from areas north of London to the continent via the channel tunnel following its anticipated completion.

The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Malcolm Rifkind

I last discussed channel tunnel services from north of London with the chairman of British Rail on 5 December. My hon. Friend the Minister of State discussed the matter with senior officials of British Rail last week.

Mr. Butler

Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that existing connections to the north-west seem unable to cope in cold weather, even when such weather is predicted? When he next meets the chairman of British Rail, will he remind him that on Friday night hundreds of passengers were treated like cattle and waited for hours for trains that never turned up, without adequate seating and in disgusting dirty conditions? In general, they were treated like muck.

Mr. Rifkind

I share my hon. Friend's concern about the general quality of service. It is important that if circumstances develop outwith the control of British Rail every effort should be made to inform passengers, especially those who are waiting on the platform, about what has gone wrong and the likelihood of their obtaining the rail services that they require so that, if necessary, they can make alternative arrangements.

Mr. Fearn

At a time when rail transport, especially to the north of England, needs to be efficient, does the Minister agree that the lack of direct trains to the continent and the fact that none are presently planned harms tourism in the north and north-west? When he next meets the chairman of British Rail, will he ask whether a special train can go from either Liverpool or Preston direct to the continent?

Mr. Rifkind

I understand that night services are intended from the north-west, but the hon. Gentleman is correct to say that at present British Rail does not propose any day services for that route. It is for British Rail to judge whether there would be sufficient demand for such services. We shall certainly draw to British Rail's attention the view of those who represent constituencies in the north-west that such a service would be useful, but it will be for British Rail to conclude whether the likely demand would justify such a service.

Sir Fergus Montgomery

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that there is a great deal of concern about rail connections to the north-west? Will he please tell us exactly what is being done to improve the west coast main line, both now and when the channel tunnel comes into being in 1992?

Mr. Rifkind

Improvement to the west coast main line is in British Rail's programme. My hon. Friend is correct to draw attention to this matter because the major investment by British Rail in electrifying the east coast main line and its proposals for the west coast line are clearly important to all parts of the country north of London if they are to receive maximum benefit when the channel tunnel opens.

Mrs. Dunwoody

Will the Secretary of State break the habit of a lifetime and lay down some transport plans for the future? Will he remember that it is not only British Rail which is responsible when our transport services go wrong? Have the Government no responsibility not only for the lack of planning in relation to freight villages, but for freight traffic and movements between the north-west and the channel tunnel?

Mr. Rifkind

I should have thought that the hon. Lady would be the last to raise such subjects, given that the investment proposals for British Rail approved by the Government give it the highest level of investment that it has had for 30 years. Such was the dereliction of duty by the last Labour Government that we have had to spend some considerable effort on reversing that neglect. That is why British Rail now has its highest capital programme for investment since the begining of the 1960s.

Dr. Hampson

Will my right hon. and learned Friend ask the chairman of British Rail to institute an inquiry into why, when the Government have allowed huge investment to improve the services from the north, the money has been invested in equipment which repeatedly fails? Will he also find out why, after hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in electrification, the line from Leeds to the south came to a total halt yesterday?

Mr. Rifkind

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to this. His question refers to the brand new IC 225 rolling stock, which operates on the line from Leeds to London. The main problem occurred when snow was sucked into vents in the engine units causing overheating arid preventing the trains from being used. It is a matter of considerable concern that brand new rolling stock, only recently introduced, should be incapable of dealing with the weather conditions of the past few days.

Mr. Prescott

Does the Secretary of State recognise that ranting on about investment levels and avoidance of responsibility on behalf of the Government led to the dismissal of the past two Secretaries of State? When British Rail brings forward its plans for an alternative route in March, is he prepared to consider them and make a recommendation on behalf of the Government, or will he simply ignore that responsibility and leave the decision to British Rail?

Mr. Rifkind

I notice the hon. Gentleman's sensitivity when reminded of the last Labour Government's dereliction of duty in relation to rail investment. We shall consider proposals for new rail investment on their merits. I expect to hear from British Rail, although I doubt whether that will be as early as March. When we get its proposals on the high-speed link, we shall consider them on their merits and respond in due course.