§ Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will give urgent consideration to the installation of barriers at the open railway crossing in Tirydail, Ammanford and at other open crossings on the Heart of Wales railway line;
§ (2) if he will bring forward the proposed installation of barriers at the open crossing in Cilyrychen, Llandybie.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Stott criteria for the conversion of automatic open crossings to half-barriered crossings take into account the daily use by both road and rail traffic. In the case of Tirydail crossing, traffic is not sufficiently heavy to warrant upgrading.
The only crossing on the central Wales line which met the upgrading criteria is at Cilyrychen. Conversion is scheduled for early next year. It is for British Rail to determine the conversion programme in the light of its resources available to carry out the work.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many open railway crossings there are, and how many have barriers, on the Heart of Wales line from Swansea to Shrewsbury; and if he will identify their locations.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe information requested is as follows:
Location Type of barrier Pantyffynon Hand operated gates Tirydail AOCL Brynmarlais AOCL Llandebie AOCL Cilyrychen AOCL Ffairfach AOCL Glanrhyd Open Llangadog AOCL Llanwrda Open Llandovery Trainmen operated barriers Berthddu Open Llandrindod Wells Trainmen operated barriers Dolau AOCL Bucknell AOCL Craven Arms Manned barriers AOCL—Automatic open crossing locally monitored.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those open crossings in Wales that have already been fitted with half-barriers as recommended by the Stott report and those earmarked for conversion in 1991 and 1992.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe following automatic open crossings in Wales have been converted to half-barrier crossings under the Stott programme:—
- Harlech Morfa
- Llanbadarn Fawr
- Maes (Criccieth)
- Ynyslas
Those at Tygwyn, Cil-y-rychen and Llanboidy are due for conversion in 1991, 1992 and 1992 respectively.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many open railway crossings in Britain are630W to be fitted with barriers in accordance with the Stott recommendation for each year from 1988 to 1992 and thereafter.
§ Mr. McLoughlinEighty-three automatic open crossings were identified for conversion to half-barrier crossings by the Stott criteria.
Forty-six have been converted so far; the work was carried out as follows:
Number 1988 13 1989 21 1990 10 1991 2 Sixteen of the remaining 37 conversions are scheduled for this year and 21 in 1992.