§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Minister of Transport if she will give details of each railway closure involving a length of line 40 miles and over authorised during the past five years notwithstanding a recommendation from the Transport Users' Consultative Committee that severe hardship would be caused, and the dates of each.
§ Mrs. CastleTo answer the hon. Member in a way which was not misleading would involve a detailed study of each of the numerous cases coming within the terms of the Question. Reports from Transport Users' Consultative Committees differ in their terminology and a finding of "severe hardship" by one Committee might be differently expressed by another. A further important factor is the number of travellers who might be subjected to the hardship, which may range from a handful to hundreds. Again, some closures have been authorised in full, others only partially.
I regret that I would not feel justified in puting in hand the extensive work which would be needed to give an adequate Answer.