§ Mrs. Emmetasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the Report of the Central Transport Consultative Committee on the proposal of the British Transport Commission to withdraw train services from the Lewes—East Grinstead line will be published; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WatkinsonCopies of the report will be available in the Vote Office this afternoon. The Committee has concluded that although the financial savings from closing the line appear to be considerably less than the railways had estimated, they are still substantial and that in the public interest the continuing losses cannot be justified. The Committee has accordingly recommended that the line should be closed. It has also made recommendations about the information to be furnished by the British Transport Commission in support of future proposals to withdraw services.
The Commission has informed me that services between Lewes and East Grinstead will now be withdrawn on 17th March. As regards future proposals for the withdrawal of services, the Commission tells me it is anxious to find a satisfactory basis for the submission of supporting financial information and intends to have early discussions with the Committee on this question.