HC Deb 27 November 1991 vol 199 cc503-4W
Mr. Speed

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the existing capacity on channel tunnel rail routes; and what estimates he has made of total domestic passenger traffic by the year 2005.

Mr. Freeman

I refer my hon. Friend to British Rail's route comparison report, a copy of which is in the Library. Section 6.2.4 of the report presents details of capacity on existing lines between the channel tunnel and London. The report also describes BR's approach to forecasting domestic passenger demand and the conclusions it draws.

Mr. Speed

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it is still his intention that the whole easterly channel tunnel rail link route will be brought up to the same stage of detail and development as the southerly route by July 1992.

Mr. Freeman

No deadline has been set for developing the easterly route to the stage at which it can be published for public consultation and safeguarding. However, I confirm that British Rail still expects the work to take about nine months once the framework and the mapping base for it have been established.

Mr. Speed

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in full the details of the Ove Arup and Rail Europe channel tunnel high-speed rail route proposals.

Mr. Freeman

Details of the Ove Arup and Rail Europe proposals are included in the reports published by British Rail on the comparative appraisal of the route options; copies have been placed in the Library. British Rail does not intend publishing other material since this is based on commercially confidential information.