§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total amount of investment(a) estimated to be required to make lines suitable for the passage of European swapbody freight containers and (b) which has already taken place for such conversion, indicating the location, in respect of each main rail route and for Great Britain; and if he will make a statement. [14234]
§ Mr. WattsBR has upgraded existing railway infrastructure at a cost of some £26 million to facilitate the carriage of standard European swapbodies and containers between the channel tunnel and terminal sites at Glasgow Mossend, Liverpool Seaforth, Manchester Trafford Park, Wakefield Normanton, Birmingham Landor Street and London Willesden. It will be for Railtrack to consider the commercial case for undertaking further loading gauge clearance work in the light of demand for freight services.