§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many train services have been cut, and on which lines, as a result of the Strategic Rail Authority's policy of selective thinning of train services. [170266]
(2) what criteria are used by the Strategic Rail Authority to implement the objective of selective thinning of train services. [170267]
838W
SRA sites released for disposal since end 2002 Map reference Location Site description Status G-HAS-13–1 Alloa Site of former crossing at Hilton Road Whinhill Under offer LNW-GC-4–2 Aylesbury Railway club and sports ground Perm Road Under offer BI-DB-27–6 Banbury Fields by Woodford closed line Under offer BI-DB-27–8 Banbury South end of closed line in Woodford Halse Under offer LS-ECO-2–1 Bexhill Former Galley Hill sidings For sale BI-FFD-1–1 Brize Norton Part of former Fairford branch — BI-FFD-1–2 Cassington Part of former Fairford branch — W-LNW-ER-45–1 Castlethorpe Former goods yard Under offer BR-XBS-34–34 Challow Former station yard — LNE-CWN-2–1 Colchester Town Lower Yard, Magdalene Street — BI-KEM-19–1 Corby Land at Cottingham Road Sold LNW-TL-38–1 Dunstable Land at Skimpot Road/Jeans Way — LNW-TL-23–2 Elstree Former goods yard — BR-WSP-30–30 Exeter Former goods yard — BR-WSP-26–26 Exeter Land and building (Red House) Sold BR-WSP-29–29 Exeter Tan Lane former goods yard — M-SOG-18–1 Formby Andrew's Lane Sold BR-XFR-3–3 Frome Former east goods yard — G-EG-4–1 Glasgow Eastfield Depot Under offer LS-WC0-10–1 Goring-by-Sea Land south of railway — LS-DCE-1–1 Greenhithe Land by station — Y-ALS-1–1 Haltwhistle Alston branch Under offer BR-FWB-5–5 Hullavington Former goods yard — M-MVE-104/105/106–1 Horwich Land at site of former railway works Under offer Y-LNO-1–7 Hunslet Land between Ivory Street and Jack lane For sale
§ Mr. DarlingThe Strategic Rail Authority has no policy of selective thinning of train services. The changes to the May and September 2003 timetables for Virgin Cross Country, Central Trains, South West Trains, Wessex, Arriva Trains Northern and Wales and Borders represent less than 1 per cent. of the daily services. They were made to improve performance and reliability through better capacity utilisation. The main changes were to Virgin Cross Country where they contributed to a 25 per cent. improvement in performance.
§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce his findings on the review of the railways while Parliament is in session. [172989]
§ Mr. McNultyAs my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport said in his statement to the House on 19 January, the rail review will publish its proposals in the summer.
§ Mr. GroganTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the new train operators serving London and the south east showed the greatest improvement in punctuality between the third quarter of 2003–04 and the third quarter of 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [173918]
§ Mr. McNultyThe biggest improvement was at West Anglia Great Northern. Its average performance for the year to the end of quarter three 2003–04 was 82.3 per cent. compared with 77.9 per cent. for the year to the end of quarter three 2002–03.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 410W, on railways, how many of the sites identified have (a) been put up for sale, (b) been sold and (c) are under offer. [174240]
§ Mr. DarlingOf the 36 sites identified by the Strategic Rail Authority as suitable for disposal, 20 have been put up for sale; of these, four have been sold, 12 are under offer and four are still for sale. This is shown in the following table.
839W
SRA sites released for disposal since end 2002 Map reference Location Site description Status G-HAS-19–2 Kincardine Plot of land beneath electricity pylon Under offer LNE-EKL-23–1 Kings Lynn Land at Extons Place — BI-FFD-1–3 Lechlade Part of former Fairford branch — M-LPN-40–1 Liverpool, James Street Moor House Under offer G-RWR-1–1 Melrose Leaderfoot Viaduct — M-GOO-2–15 Reddish Former depot, Wayland Road For sale LS-WCO-22–4 Shoreham-by-Sea Land at Queens Place Under offer LS-TH-4–1 Tunbridge Wells Former goods yard For sale BI-SWR-42–1 Walsall Land off Littleton Street West Under offer W-LNW-ER-20–7 Watford Wiggenhall Road Sold LS-BML-5–12 Wivelsfield Land at Rockery Lane —