§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Minister of Transport if she will state a date for inauguration of any of her Department's proposed conurbation transport authorities; and if she will make a statement on how far detailed proposals have advanced.
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§ Mrs. CastleMy aim is to set up passenger transport authorities in the conurbations of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the West Midlands and Tyneside as soon as I have obtained the necessary powers.
I intend to publish a White Paper setting out in detail my proposals for the new authorities generally, before introducing legislation.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Minister of Transport whether in her proposals for conurbation transport authorities she will seek to include the necessary powers to reopen railway lines that have been closed but would be valuable to the community and profitable on social cost/benefit grounds.
§ Mrs. CastleThe question of what rail passenger services should be provided to meet local travel needs in the area of a passenger transport authority will, under my proposals, be a matter for the authority itself. If the provision of any such services can best be met by the reopening of a closed line I envisage this as essentially a matter for negotiation between the authority and the Railways Board.