§ Mr. Cleggasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether, in including Fleetwood and Thornton Cleveleys in a travel to work area, she took into account the closing of the passenger services between Kirkham and Fleetwood.
§ Mr. FernyhoughNo. My Department announced the revised travel-to work areas in July but it was not until November that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport tentatively concluded that the Kirkham-Fleetwood line should not be grant-aided and British Railways subsequently gave advance notice of their intention to publish a proposal for the withdrawal of the passenger service. In deciding whether he should give consent to a closure proposal the Minister of Transport will, of course, take into account the journeys being made to and from work and will need to be satisfied inter alia, that, alternative public transport would be available.
§ Mr. Cleggasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many workers she estimates will be made redundant by the closure of the passenger service between Kirkham and 420W Fleetwood; and what steps she is taking to find jobs for those made redundant.
§ Mr. FernyhoughThe Railways Board will shortly be publishing a statutory proposal to withdraw the passenger service between Kirkham and Fleetwood. It is not possible at this stage to say whether or not any workers will be made redundant if, after the usual detailed consideration which he gives to rail closure proposals, the Minister of Transport should decide to give his consent to the withdrawal of this service. My local officers would, as usual, take all possible steps to find alternative work for any workers displaced.