§ 3.5 p.m.
§ Baroness ELLIOT of HARWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the national Railway Board intend to curtail the night sleeper trains on the East Coast route between London, Berwick, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness.
854§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, British Rail inform me that they have no such intention.
§ Baroness ELLIOT of HARWOODMy Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness to inform the Railway Board that this will be a great relief to a great many people, both in this House and in other houses? The rumour was rife that they were going to make considerable alterations on the East Coast route. I thank the noble Baroness very much indeed.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, while being glad at the Answer which has been given, may I ask whether, as the Central Transport Consultative Committee is the main consumer body in this field, and as last November it received additional powers enabling it to cover the whole of Britain, if such matters were to arise in future, they would be referred first of all to this Committee before any decisions were taken?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, I would have thought so; but I am not certain of the answer, without notice. I shall look into the matter and write to my noble friend.
Lord CAMPBELL of CROYMy Lords, while the whole House will welcome the Answer of the noble Baroness, is she aware that the only rail route South from Inverness for about four days during and after the blizzards last weekend was via Aberdeen and the coast route? This route is needed as an alternative, and I was on the first train that successfully came round by Aberdeen for nearly 19 hours. With other passengers, I was very glad to have a sleeper. Is the noble Baroness further aware that I have no intention of complaining that the train was late, because all the passengers appreciated that it was the only way of travelling South from Inverness in the weather conditions of last weekend?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, while endorsing most of what the noble Lord said, I should like, from the Dispatch Box, to express our appreciation for the way in which everyone rallied round in the terrible conditions of last week, and pay our tribute to the railwaymen and other organisations who did at least keep the railways moving.