HC Deb 22 February 1965 vol 707 cc33-4W
Mr. Hamling

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if, in his study of coordinated transport services, he will consider the desirability of achieving operational co-ordination by planning a new tube connecting the Northern Line to south-east London and north-west Kent;

(2) if, in his study of co-ordinated transport services, he will consider the development of passenger services on the River Thames, connecting the centre of London with the down-river areas of Woolwich and Erith, including the provision of hovercraft, in order to relieve the overcrowded services by road and rail;

(3) if, in his study of co-ordinated transport services, he will undertake a review of the facilities for road and rail transport in South-East London, in view of the growing discontent amongst the travelling public with the existing services, and the possibility of the creation of the new town in the Woolwich-Erith area.

Mr. Tom Fraser

Transport in the London conurbation, including the Woolwich-Erith area, is already being intensively studied, notably in the London Transportation Study. The object of these studies—with which the L.C.C., my Ministry, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, British Railways and London Transport are closely associated—is to develop long-term comprehensive proposals for meeting the future demand for transport in London in what is, overall, the most practical and economic way, taking into account the effect of possible future changes in land use and the location of population and employment.

Within the same framework, the Passenger Transport Planning Committee for London, set up by the British Railways Board and the London Transport Board, are considering plans for the co-ordinated development of the public passenger services in the London area, including South-East London and North-West Kent. These plans will be considered by the Boards and I shall be interested to study any proposals which the Boards may then refer to me.