§ 11.23 a.m.
§ Lord GainfordMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have for improving the quality of commuter services into London.
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, we have asked both British Rail and London Regional Transport to maintain or improve service standards in and around London at lower cost to the taxpayer. We stand ready to approve any worthwhile investment project to this end. At the same time, the liberalisation of coach licensing has improved the range of choice for many commuters.
§ Lord GainfordMy Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for that Answer. Has he any information on the proposed capital card to be issued in the New Year and its advantages, which I understand will allow a commuter to use both British Rail and London Transport on one ticket?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, I have indeed. The new card is being introduced on 6th January. It will give access to British Rail and LRT services at a modest premium over the fares charged by either. People living outside Greater London up to about 30 miles from the centre will be able to buy a combined British Rail season ticket and capital card. This will give them unlimited access to British Rail and LRT services within Greater London plus travel by British Rail between home and the Greater London boundary.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, as this is the second occasion when we have discussed the details of London Regional Transport operations would the Minister kindly tell me whether we are going to be permitted to discuss details of the operation of what the Government call a nationalised industry, or are the usual rules to apply? Have the points that the noble Lord has mentioned been discussed with the passengers' committee and have they been, or will they be, discussed with the local authorities?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, I am not quite sure what should have been discussed with the passengers' committee or the local authorities. Perhaps the noble Lord could put me right.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, in the Minister's reply to the supplementary he referred to an extension of travel cards. I was asking whether or not they had been discussed with the passengers' committee, which gives advice, and also with the local authorities, which have to pay when the Government ask them for money?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, I cannot give the noble Lord an assurance that they were discussed. I have not got that information on me. I shall write to the noble Lord, if I may.
§ Lord BroxbourneMy Lords, would my noble friend make representations to British Rail to reinforce their good work in providing more non-smoking accommodation on their lines and by improving the standards of hygiene and cleanliness of the compartments? Would he make special representations to draw attention to the conditions at Victoria Station, which at present impose an additional and unnecessary inconvenience and difficulty on commuters and other travellers?
Finally, in a slightly wider but related context, would he urge British Rail to make a contribution to employment and the comfort of travellers alike by resuming the recruitment of porters, since luggage trolleys are a poor substitute for the needs of the elderly, the infirm and overseas visitors in varying degrees of bewilderment at the problems and unpredictability of travel by British Rail?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, British Rail have stated that they want to do better, and we welcome that. They have set themselves quality of service targets covering cancellations, punctuality, and cleanliness. As regards the noble Lord's first supplementary about not smoking, I shall certainly draw his remarks to the attention of the British Rail Board. On the question of Victoria Station I think I shall have to do the same.
§ Lord John-MackieMy Lords, referring to the noble Lord's point about trolleys and porters, one of the most important things at the station is to see that there is a slope instead of steps to push a trolley up. There are far too many steps at stations and not enough slopes.
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, this will be a matter about which I am sure British Rail will be aware when they meet, as they hope to, the quality of service targets.
§ Lord SomersMy Lords, may we have a short debate on this subject at some time?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, if I understood the noble Lord correctly, I think that that would be a matter for the usual channels.
§ Lord AucklandMy Lords, I have used Southern Region each day for over 20 years, and may I ask whether my noble friend the Minister is aware that I think the general standard of commuting services is high? Can my noble friend say how many new drivers are being recruited annually, particularly in view of the old cri de cœur about shortage of staff?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for his first remark. I cannot give him a figure on the number of drivers being recruited annually. I would however say that in order to improve services on the Southern Region my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport yesterday announced a new £32½ million re-signalling scheme for the Waterloo area. I hope that that will assist him in some way.