§ Mr. TrotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what monitoring his Department carries our concerning the assurance given by the Government that previously acceptable rail routes would continue to be available after privatisation; and if he will make a statement about the change in the validity of Newcastle upon Tyne to London full-fare tickets for travel to Euston; [21614]
(2) if, for the purposes of the Government's assurance concerning continued acceptance for full-fare ticketing of routes accepted by British Rail, all routes accepted by British Rail prior to privatisation, including Newcastle to Euston, are regarded as reasonable routes. [21616]
§ Mr. WattsI have been asked to reply.
A routeing guide has been prepared by the Association of Train Operating Companies, which sets out clearly the permitted routes by which passengers may travel on their journeys. This guide requires the approval of the franchising director and the Rail Regulator and they will be concerned to ensure that if protects all reasonable routes that were allowed by BR before privatisation.
The guide has been given interim approval for an experimental period until 31 May. At this stage it does not include Newcastle to London via Birmingham.
Comments are being sought via rail users consultative committees on the accuracy and completeness of the guide. These will be taken into account before final approval is granted.
I have made no assessment of the impact on business men of using single one-day tickets.
1000W
§ Mr. TrotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that nationwide rail rover tickets continue to be(a) available and (b) widely publicised; and what assessment he has made of the importance of such tickets to the United Kingdom tourism industry [21615]
§ Mr. WattsI have been asked to reply.
The all-line rail-rover continues to be available. Promotion of the product is the responsibility of the Association of Train Operating Companies and its members. I have made no assessment of the importance of the product to the United Kingdom tourist industry.