Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (Hansard, 2 November 1994)

§ Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will estimate the cost of an(a) single-line and (b) double-line tunnel to extend the route of the docklands light railway under the Thames from Beckton to the north Kent railway at Thamesmead as part of his studies consequent on the report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution;

(2) if he will obtain an estimate of the approximate additional percentage of paid passenger miles which would need to be travelled in order to reduce the general level of fares by (a) 10 per cent. (b) 20 per cent. and (c) 30 per cent., as part of his studies consequent on the report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution;

(3) pursuant to his answer of 17 October, Official Report, column 97, if he will request Railtrack and the potential operators of the route from north Woolwich to Woolwich Arsenal to estimate the marginal cost of movement alone of three-car multiple-unit trains, subsequent to its re-electrification from Willesden junction to North Pole junction, as part of his studies consequent on the report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution;

(4) if he will estimate the marginal cost of movement by rail within the approximate area of Greater London per passenger mile, or other convenient unit, at weekends and public holidays, assuming no charge for standing charges, infrastructure costs, or any cost other than that of the direct movement costs of trains currently time-tabled on (a) the rail services of London Underground Ltd. and (b) the inner-London services operated over routes for which Railtrack is responsible, as part of his studies consequent on the report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.