HC Deb 05 December 1973 vol 865 cc392-3W
Mr. Michael Cocks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish the evidence supplied by British Rail in support of its proposed initial motorail network via the Channel Tunnel, as illustrated in Plate 7B of Command Paper No. 5430 ;

(2) if he will publish the evidence supplied by British Rail in support of its proposed initial freight container network via the Channel Tunnel, as illustrated in Plate 6B of Command Paper No. 5430.

Mr. Peyton

Plates 6B and 7B of Command Paper No. 5430 are preliminary indications of the networks concerned and British Rail is continuing to study how they may be developed. Freight container and motorail services via the Tunnel will be provided wherever traffic volumes justify them.

Mr. Sutcliffe

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many firms of consultants were considered to undertake the Channel Tunnel transport cost benefit study.

Mr. Peyton

One. The study had both to draw on the results of, and to follow very rapidly on, the traffic and revenue studies already being undertaken for the Governments and the Channel Tunnel Companies by Messrs. Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd.