§ 14. Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what service reductions have been implemented on the London underground during 1991; and what estimate he has of the effect of the reductions on road congestion in London.
§ Mr. FreemanLondon Underground Ltd. has recently written to hon. Members about service changes that it wishes to implement later this year. I understand that the proposed reduced train services would be only some 1.5 per cent. below the the potential maximum and that any staff reductions are intended to increase efficiency by, for example, taking advantage of automatic ticket machines.
§ Ms. RuddockDoes the Minister accept that when there was a low fares policy on the London underground, in 1981 and 1983, there were reductions of 6 per cent. and 17 per cent. in car commuting? Does he acknowledge that there is a link between the two and that there is already a fall in ridership on the underground system which the service reductions that he noted will only exacerbate? Does he know that the chair of London Transport has acknowledged that there is expected to be a further reduction on ridership on buses? Where does he think that commuters will go if not into their cars? Will not this lead to further road congestion in London?
§ Mr. FreemanWhen the Labour party was in office, it encouraged the GLC, when it was responsible for London Transport, to implement a low fares policy. It ran the London underground as though it were a department of social services and, as a result, neglected investment. Since 1985, there has been a significant increase in patronage on the London underground.
§ Ms. RuddockIt is falling.
§ Mr. FreemanIt is not falling. There has been a significant increase in capital investment. The Labour party neglected London Transport and put us in the position that we are in today.