§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Minister of Transport if he has now reached a decision on the proposal to discontinue rail passenger services on the Edinburgh—Hawick—Carlisle line; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MarshI have decided to give my consent to the Railways Board's proposal to discontinue passenger services on this line. In reaching this decision I have taken into account the advice I have received from many sources, including the Scottish Transport Users Consultative Committee, the Borders Consultative Group and the Scottish Economic Planning Council, and the recommendations made in the Central Borders Report. I am making it a condition of my consent that certain additional bus services shall be provided. The Railways Board normally seek my agreement before disposing of route formation and station sites and I have told them that I would not be prepared to consider such disposal between Edinburgh and Hawick for at least two years.
This decision has been taken in the light of the low and declining passenger use of the line and only after long and exhaustive appraisal of the possibilities of increased traffic and all possible alternative courses, including the likely effect of retaining part of the line and making various operational economies. I am satisfied that the present exceptionally heavy losses cannot be allowed to continue especially in the current economic climate, and that there is no practicable way of retaining even part of the line at an acceptable cost, To maintain current services an annual grant of £700,000 would be needed. Even a reduced single track service between Edinburgh and Hawick, serving only the four main intermediate stations would entail grant at a level of £250,000 a year (or about l1d. per passenger mile compared with the present standard second class fare of just over 3d. per mile.