§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the resale of the two ships to ply between the Essex and Kent coasts; and specify the operations issues and losses involved in this service.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe British Railways Board is under a legal obligation to operate a passenger ferry service 51W between Tilbury and Gravesend. I understand that the volume of traffic has fallen substantially in recent years, and the Board aimed to reduce its costs by using ferries with a smaller capacity. The second-hand vessels which were bought for this service have proved unsuitable and are being offered for sale.