HL Deb 23 July 1986 vol 479 cc205-7

2.36 p.m.

Lord Nugent of Guildford

My 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 whether they will ask London Regional Transport what arrangements they can make to keep the escalators of the underground stations in regular working order.

Viscount Davidson

Yes, my Lords, we shall continue to mention that matter in our discussions with London Regional Transport's board and management, but ultimately it is their responsibility.

Lord Nugent of Guildford

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer, which has more courtesy than substance in it. Is he aware that there are two new escalators that connect the Bakerloo line to the District line at Embankment Station which were installed about two years ago, and that one of them has been shut away completely and the other has been stationary for about a month? That is very much to the inconvenience of passengers trying to connect from one line to another. Will my noble friend ask LRT to give a little attention to those matters for the convenience of its passengers?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I understand from LRT that one of the escalators was taken out of service because of the station modernisation works currently under way. It is expected to be back in use in the autumn. Unfortunately, the second escalator had to be taken out of service temporarily because of the failure of the handrail tracks. Those have now been replaced and I gather that it is hoped to have the escalator working again today. The escalator concerned is only two years old and I believe that its premature failure is a matter that LRT is taking up with the manufacturers.

Lord Nugent of Guildford

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that I can confirm that the escalator is working today? I am most grateful to him for his obvious influence in the matter; it was very much to my convenience this morning in travelling to this place.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I was aware that LRT hoped to have the escalator working today, but I am not aware that there is any direct connection between the fact that it is working and the fact that my noble friend is asking his Question today.

Lord Grimond

My Lords, is the Minister aware that added importance is given to this matter by the fact that, in this age of high technology, it has taken as long to install lifts at one station on the Underground as it did in the days of the horse and cart to build the whole Central line?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, that is probably due to the fact that the Central line was built in the days of the horse and cart.

Lord Underhill

My Lords, does the noble Viscount realise that as much as I should like to take this opportunity to criticise some operations of LRT, believing that the decision to transfer responsibility to it was wrong, I appreciate the problems that exist? For instances, at Liverpool Street Station the escalators have been out of operation for months because of the reconstruction work there, and one has to go out into the open air in order to make a connection. Having said that, since there are so many complaints about escalators breaking down, I wonder whether there is any problem with regard to the saving of money, shortage of staff, or a lack of skilled personnel.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, the replacement programme that is under way at the moment is massive. It is not a matter of lack of funds; on the contrary—the Government's policy of reducing demands on revenue subsidies has made more money available for capital investment. The replacement of the escalators is a very complicated job that takes a lot of time. Much of the work has to be done at night. The problem is that although LRT's policy is to invite tenders from private contractors for major repairs and renewals, only a limited number of companies are interested in tendering for such highly specialised work.

Lord Broxbourne

My Lords, is it not a sad paradox that at Westminster Station in the capital city of this country, at the heart of the Commonwealth, there is neither lift nor escalator and aged legislators are left to toil up the stairs?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, it sounds a little like "Upstairs, Downstairs". I shall certainly convey my noble friend's remarks to the chairman of LRT.

Baroness Seear

My Lords, may I ask why the work must be done at night if the escalators are not in action?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I was referring to the maintenance work.

Baroness Elliot of Harwood

My Lords, one of the escalators at Sloane Square has broken down and I asked one of the attendants yesterday why that had happened. He told me that it was because the spare parts came from Germany and that there were no spare parts available. Is that true?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I have absolutely no idea.