HC Deb 22 July 1999 vol 335 cc589-92W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the likely impact on(a) numbers of trains run and (b) passenger kilometres of the closure of (i) the Circle Line during summer 1999, (ii) part of the Northern Line during summer 1999, (iii) part of the Bakerloo Line during autumn 1999 and (iv) part of the Victoria Line during autumn 1999. [90850]

Mrs. Liddell

This is a matter for London Underground. However, I understand that the impact on the number of trains run will be as follows:

  1. (i) The Circle Line has been suspended for essential safety work until 16 August 1999. Additional trains are operating on the Hammersmith and City Line and two extra trains on the District Line.
  2. (ii) 12 fewer trains than normal are operating on the Northern Line during peak periods. There are four fewer trains than normal at the weekends. This is to allow for essential maintenance and upgrading.
  3. (iii) No trains will run south of Victoria and there will be a reduced peak service on the rest of the line. The off-peak service north of Victoria will be as normal.
London Underground inform me they have not assessed the impact of these closures on passenger kilometres.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce women-only carriages on London Underground. [91494]

Mrs. Liddell

This Government takes the problem of crime on the underground very seriously and we are pleased to see that it has halved over the last decade.

Introducing women-only carriages would be a matter for London Underground. I understand that they are expanding their CCTV network, upgrading the system at stations and introducing cameras to trains and other crime prevention measures.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many extra District Line trains have run since the closure of parts of the Circle Line. [91088]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 14 July 1999]: This is a matter for London Underground, but I understand that, from 5 July 1999, London Underground have been operating two additional trains throughout the day on the District Line between Putney Bridge and Mansion House.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the average daily passenger figures for the Circle Line connecting(a) Tower Hill and Aldgate and (b) Gloucester Road and High Street Kensington over the last 12 months. [91051]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 14 July 1999]: This is a matter for London Underground. However, I understand that the average number of daily passenger journeys between these stations over the last 12 months was:

Number
Gloucester Road to High Street Kensington 29,000
High Street Kensington to Gloucester Road 24,000
Total 53,000
Aldgate to Tower Hill 23,000
Tower Hill to Aldgate 21,000
Total 44,000
Circle Line services have been suspended to allow London Underground to complete the long overdue safety-related engineering works. Service disruption is always disappointing, but safety is, quite rightly, London Transport's top priority.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the level of provision of fire extinguishers on the London Underground. [91720]

Mrs. Liddell

London Underground operates under one of the toughest safety regimes of any underground metro system. Any changes to the provision of fire extinguishers on the underground are subject to the approval of Her Majesty's Rail Inspectorate.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the total passenger capacity in either direction between Moorgate station and Kennington station of(a) Northern Line services between Monday 28 June and Friday 2 July and (b) Northern Line replacement bus services between Monday 5 July and Friday 9 July. [91518]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 15 July 1999]: This is an operational matter for London Underground. Figures are not available to compare alternative passenger services. However, I understand that while bus services between Moorgate and Kennington have been busy in peak periods, there is sufficient capacity available to cope with the demand. Additional buses are on standby, if necessary.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if temperature levels on tubes during Thursday 8 July exceeded Health and Safety Executive limits. [91526]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 15 July 1999]: This is a matter for London Underground. I understand that the Health and Safety Executive does not set temperature limits for the tube.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if works on the Circle Line are running according to timetable; and if full Circle Line services will resume on 16 August. [91520]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 15 July 1999]: This is a matter for London Underground, but I understand works are running to timetable and that LU anticipate resuming a full Circle Line service on 16 August, as planned.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if works on the Northern Line are running according to timetable; and if full Northern Line Bank branch services will resume on 6 September. [91521]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 15 July 1999]: This is a matter for London Underground, but I understand works on the Northern Line are on schedule and services should resume on Monday 6 September, as planned.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people travelled in either direction between Moorgate station and Kennington station or intermediate stations using(a) Northern Line underground services between Monday 28 June and Friday 2 July and (b) Northern Line replacement bus services between Monday 5 July and Friday 9 July. [91519]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 15 July 1999]: This is an operational matter for London Underground. However, I understand that many of the passengers who would normally use this section of the Northern Line have access to underground services, including the 15 per cent. extra trains on the Northern Line Charing Cross branch.

Before the temporary closure, 75,000 journeys were made daily on the Northern Line between Moorgate and Kennington. In the first week after the closure, 10,000 people a day used the replacement and existing services along the route.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy on air conditioning on London Underground trains; and if he will make a statement. [91523]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 15 July 1999]: This is a matter for London Underground, but I understand that air conditioning would not only be extremely expensive to install, but would cause severe operational constraints, particularly on the deep tube lines. However, LU are looking at various methods of cooling trains and tunnels, and this will include air conditioning where appropriate.

Mr. Woodward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many complaints were received by London Underground on Thursday 8 July about excessive temperatures on tube trains; and if he will make a statement. [91525]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 15 July 1999]: This is a matter for London Underground. I understand that they received a total of 20 complaints about the high temperatures on tube trains on Thursday 8 July.

I appreciate passengers' frustration at the high temperatures that can occur on tube trains on very hot days and understand that London Underground are looking at ways of cooling trains and tunnels.

Mr. Stephen Twigg

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with London Underground regarding service(a) on the Piccadilly Line and (b) at Arnos Grove Station. [91444]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 21 July 1999]: Piccadilly Line services are an operational matter for London Underground. However, my hon. Friend the Minister for Transport in London does meet with the managing director of LU every month, when they discuss tube services, including the Piccadilly Line.

Neither myself nor other Ministers have specifically discussed services at Arnos Grove with LU. However, I understand that LU have developed a scheme to reduce congestion at this station and are currently considering how best to take this forward.