§ Sir N. Cooper-Keyasked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on the costs-and-revenue figures issued by his Department relating to the closure of the Ashford-Hastings Railway, and on the representations forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Hastings on this matter.
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§ Mr. MurrayThe Railways Board provided an estimate of the annual deficit on which grant would have been payable under Section 39(1) of the Transport Act, 1968 had the previous Minister decided on social or economic grounds that the services should be retained at their present level. The figures are:
Costs: £ Movement 84,000 Terminal 40,000 Track and signalling 187,000 Interest and administration 58,000 369,000 Less Earnings 59,000 Estimated Deficit 310,000 Even if the track were singled, which would require considerable capital expenditure, the Board estimated that the deficit would exceed £200,000 per annum.
I will write to the hon. Member very shortly about the representations which I received from him on Friday.