Railway Land: Redevelopment

HL Deb 03 November 1998 vol 594 cc140-2

3.5 p.m.

Lord Cadman asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are satisfied that, following the moratorium on the sale of former railway land recently announced, adequate consultation is taking place between Rail Properties Ltd and local authorities and others concerning the redevelopment of suitable sites for future railway use.

Lord Whitty

My Lords, the Government announced in July in the White Paper on the future of transport that the British Railways Board was suspending land sales while it conducted an audit of the remaining sites. As part of this review, the British Railways Board has consulted a wide range of transport operators, local authorities and other organisations on the criteria to be applied for establishing sites which have a realistic prospect of use for transport purposes in the foreseeable future.

Lord Cadman

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Is he aware that several potential sites belonging to British Rail which have been earmarked for possible future railway use are still being actively promoted by Rail Properties Ltd for other non-railway schemes? Bearing in mind that the railway industry and interested local authorities might have a better idea of their future needs than those charged with site disposal, does the Minister agree that Rail Properties should be encouraged to co-operate more fully with interested parties with a view to returning suitable sites to rail use?

Lord Whitty

My Lords, part of the review that I have just mentioned requires the British Railways Board to identify those sites which might be of use for railway or other transport purposes. It would appear that probably the bulk of the sites would not fall within that category, but as regards those that do, consultation would be required with local authorities and transport operators if there were any proposition to dispose of them. However, the British Railways Board has a responsibility to dispose of that land which is not useful for those purposes.

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, in order that these sites are put to the best future use for local people, will the Government give consideration to allowing local authorities to have the first option, provided the price is right?

Lord Whitty

My Lords, at present if the British Railways Board sells sites it is supposed to sell them at market value. Local authorities which can see some benefit in acquiring the land are considered as serious purchasers. However, the bulk of the remaining British Railways Board property is of a relatively small size and is unlikely to be a major factor in local authorities' development plans.

Lord Berkeley

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that all this information which he has helpfully given to the House this afternoon is contained in a report which has recently been submitted to his department by the British Railways Board? Will he consider publishing that as I believe it contains a list of every property which is still in British Rail's hands and that would enable colleagues in the industry and local authorities to identify for themselves what is available and what they may wish to purchase?

Lord Whitty

My Lords, the chairman of the British Railways Board has recently submitted a report to the Deputy Prime Minister which sets out the general approach. It does not contain the full list of British Railways Board properties, although that will become available. Clearly my colleagues will give consideration to the question of whether it should be published at some point. However, we are not at that point yet.

Viscount Addison

My Lords, does the Minister agree it is important that aggregates are transported to London and other cities by train rather than by road and that it is important to keep the storage facilities for aggregates near railway depots rather than losing that land to building sites, which would result in lorries transporting aggregates? It is important to keep aggregate sources next to railway depots.

Lord Whitty

My Lords, I agree with the general point made by the noble Viscount. Indeed, it is very much part of our policy that some of the freight which is currently transported by road should be returned to rail freight. The recent history of the rail freight industry is encouraging in that respect. As regards the sites, noble Lords will recognise that the bulk of the sites referred to are not British Rail Board sites; they are Railtrack sites. Railtrack has certain constraints on the disposal of those sites, if usable for such purposes.