§ 106. Mr. David Steelasked the Minister of Transport (1) on what date she wrote to British Railways indicating that the St. Boswells-Kelso bus service should be discontinued; and why she did not inform the hon. Member for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, whose constituents will be adversely affected, of her decision;
(2) whether in future she will notify any Member of Parliament concerned when she takes a local transport policy decision directly affecting the interests of his constituents.
§ Mr. John MorrisMy right hon. Friend gave her consent to the withdrawal of the Monday to Friday rail replacement bus service on 26th October because it was hardly used. The normal Saturday service is unaffected. We have since received suggestions that a service might be needed on one other weekday, and have told the hon. Member that we will see if this can be given a trial.
It would not, I am afraid, be practicable to notify hon. Members of every transport decision affecting their locality, though we try to do so whenever a particular interest has been expressed. The Transport Users Consultative Committee have, I understand, followed their normal practice of notifying the principal objectors to the original rail closure proposal.