§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of surplus track have been removed by British Rail in metropolitan counties and nationally in each of the years since 1974.
§ Mr. RidleyI understand from the British Railways Board that, for the country as a whole, the figures for 1974–83 are as follows:
Surplus Track Year Miles 1974 77 1975 83 1976 102 1977 74 1978 87 1979 199 1980 128 1981 246 1982 259 1983 317 The board is unable to provide separate figures for metropolitan counties. The increase in the national figures in recent years can be explained in terms of British Railways' increasingly cost-conscious approach to operations, the changing needs of their businesses, and technological progress, all of which have made redundant many miles of track.