§ Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the reply of the Chairman of the British Waterways Board to his own published letter about the future of the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal.
§ Mr. Kelleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the future classification of the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal if the British Waterways Board's improvement scheme is not implemented; and what will be the cost to the board.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the revised cost of the proposed improvement scheme for the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal; and what percentage increase or reduction this shows on the figure originally estimated, making allowance for inflation.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up an independent committee to inquire into the future use of the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal and make recommendations.
§ Dr. Marshallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what objections he has received to the proposed improvements to the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal.
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§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI have just received from the British Waterways Board a report of the results of its search for more concrete evidence that the waterway, if improved as proposed, would attract the necessary additional traffic. The Department is now considering this report, which the board itself has published. A decision on the proposed improvement and the future of the waterway will be made as soon as possible.
The revised estimated cost of the scheme is £3.1 million. The estimate submitted in May 1972 was £2.4 million. No objections have been received and none would be expected in advance of the board formally seeking powers to carry out a detailed scheme.
§ Mr. Duffyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the proportion of barge traffic that cannot at present travel along the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal, but would be able to do so if the proposed improvement scheme were carried out, which could alternatively travel by rail.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsSince this is a complex calculation, I will write to the hon. Member.