§ Mr. AlisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of pilotage companies which, over the last 10 years, or the nearest practicable equivalent time span, have been licensed, or otherwise authorised or entitled, to pilot river craft on the Rivers Humber and Ouse up to the point near Goole railway bridge where pilotage ceases to be compulsory.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 22 April 1991]: Associated British Ports has been responsible for pilotage services in this area both as competent harbour authority since 1 October 1988 under the Pilotage Act 1987 and prior to that as pilotage authority for the district under previous pilotage legislation. Only those pilots authorised by Associated British Ports may act as authorised pilots in this area.
§ Mr. AlisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions over the last 10 years, or the nearest practicable equivalent time span, on which Goole railway bridge over the River Ouse has been struck in collision by river craft to the extent of causing appreciable bridge damage; and on how many such occasions the bridge has had to be closed to rail traffic.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 22 April 1991]: Since 1981, collisions causing appreciable damage to the bridge structure or its protective fenders and piles have occurred on the following dates:
420W
Year 1981 24 February 1984 26 August 1985 20 January 29 November 1986 30 May 13 June 1987 27 April 23 October 1988 12 September 6 November 21 November 23 November 5 December
Year 1989 28 April 16 October 1990 29 January 20 April 22 August 30 August 12 September 3 October 5 October After any collision involving the main bridge structure, rail traffic is stopped until an examination is completed by BR's area engineer. The incident on 23 November 1988 was the only one to cause an extended closure of the line.