HC Deb 27 January 2003 vol 398 cc526-7W
Mr. Gordon Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what guidelines his Department has set for the Strategic Rail Authority on consultation with(a) hon. Members, (b) local authorities and (c) passengers' representatives in advance of proposed changes to and withdrawals of rail services; [93462]

(2) what consultations the Strategic Rail Authority undertook with (a) hon. Members, (b) local authorities and (c) passengers' representatives on the proposed withdrawal of Virgin train services from Blackpool North station; [93463]

(3) how his Department was consulted by the Strategic Rail Authority on changes to the May 2003 timetable; [93464]

(4) what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Strategic Rail Authority's consultation on changes to the May 2003 timetable. [93461]

Mr. Jamieson

The Directions and Guidance to the SRA stateSection 206 of the Act requires the Authority, in formulating its strategies, to consult Scottish Ministers, the National Assembly for Wales, the Rail Regulator and such other persons as it thinks fit and paragraph 7.11 of these Directions and Guidance requires it to obtain the Secretary of State's consent. Subject to these specific requirements, the Authority will need to judge with whom and how it should consult. There is no general requirement to consult in relation to the exercise of the Authority's other functions… Even where there is no specific obligation to consult, the Secretary of State expects there to be the appropriate level of consultation with persons likely to be affected by the actions.

The timetable changes were driven by the need to improve performance urgently in the interests of passengers. In order to secure these improvements at the earliest opportunity, by incorporating the changes in the May 2003 timetable, the Authority had limited time for consultation. The Authority consulted Department for Transport officials and Ministers about the implementation of the timetable changes announced last week, and informed other parties including the relevant Rail Passengers Committees in relation to Virgin Cross Country services.