§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Minister of Transport what information he obtained, before agreeing to a subsidy for the line, as to how many passenger journeys are made annually on the Retford-Worksop-Sheffield railway line; what is the annual loss; and how much annual subsidy will be granted to the line.
§ Mr. MarshI had information about the average number of daily passenger journeys on this service. This is equivalent to about 600,000 journeys annually.
The amount of the grant will be the same as the estimated annual loss on the service. As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Sudbury and 39W Woodbridge (Mr. Stainton) on 15th November, I am not yet able to quote the amount of grant involved in this case because certain adjustments have to be made before the figures can be finalised. I intend, however, to announce the grant for this and other services early in 1969.—[Vol. 773. c. 172–80.]