HC Deb 23 July 1979 vol 971 cc69-70W
Mr. Crowther

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking in consultation with British Railways to ensure the necessary availability of 16.5 tonne wagons for the movement of scrap to steel-making plants.

Mr. Fowler

I understand the problem here is that the existing fleet of these wagons is nearing the end of its useful life. The Railways Board is, however, doing all it can to make sufficient wagons available, and a working party which includes representatives of the Board, BSC, the British Scrap Federation and the British Independent Steel Producers Association has been set up to look at this problem. I would add, however, that management of resources like this problem is a matter of day-to-day management of the BRB.

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