§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Minister of Transport out of how many hearings conducted by the Yorkshire area transport users consultative committees, have the committee recommended to him that hardship would be caused by the closure of a particular line or railway station; in how many cases has the Minister accepted the closure of the line; and how many of the lines remaining open are to be in receipt of a passenger aided grant.
§ Mr. MarshThe total number of railway passenger closure proposals considered by the Yorkshire Transport Users Consultative Committee under the Transport Act, 1962, is 42. In connection with 36 of these proposals they held public hearings. In 26 cases the Committee reported that, in their view, some degree of hardship would be caused if consent were given to the whole or part of the proposal. Complete consent was given in 29 cases and partial consent in 6 cases; a decision was deferred in 1 case; and in 4 cases consent was refused completely. Two proposals on which the T.U.C.C. have reported are still under consideration. I expect that 30 services in the area covered by the Yorkshire T.U.C.C. will be grant-aided; 5 more services will be given a transitional grant pending a decision on current closure proposals.