Mr. Ted Fletcherasked the Minister of Transport why she has not made specific provision for waterway freight in the new proposals for freight transport.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe inland waterways are only important for the movement of traffic (mainly in bulk loads) in a few limited areas, and even of this traffic less than one-tenth is carried in boats owned by the nationalised British Waterways Board. It was not considered necessary to make special provision for the latter traffic in the new proposals set out in the White Paper for concentrating in a single national freight organisation of responsibilty for the general merchandise and sundries traffic of the Railways Board and Transport Holding Company. However, the economic use of the waterways must be fully developed and, as I said in this House on 18th November last, we shall be ready to consider on their merits any proposals for modest development or improvement that the British Waterways Board may recommend from time to time, provided always that they show real prospects of a sound economic return.—[Vol. 736, c. 820.]