HC Deb 02 February 1972 vol 830 cc122-4W
Mr. Joel Barnett

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what inquiries he made as to the effect on parking problems in Manchester arising from his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(2) what inquiries he made as to road congestion in the area affected by his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(3) what inquiries he made as to the ability of workers to get to offices and factories, with special reference to shift workers, in the area affected by his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(4) what inquiries he made as to the number of new houses likely to be built in the next ten years in the area affected by his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(5) what estimate he has made as to the effect on the long-term transport study in the North West of his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(6) if he carried out an investigation into the bus services in the area affected by his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(7) what consideration of the effect on school-users, both young and old, he gave in coming to his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(8) what consideration he gave to the effect on the old, the sick and the disabled in coming to his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale;

(9) what consideration he gave to the long-term economic consequences in coming to his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale.

Mr. Peyton

I gave full consideration to all these factors, and to the considerable cost of providing the rail service.

Mr. Joel Barnett

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to the area affected by his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale.

Mr. Peyton

No.

Mr. Joel Barnett

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet a delegation from the areas affected by his decission to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale, to consider the future of passenger transport services in the area in the light of his decision.

Mr. Peyton

No. This is now a matter for the S.E.L.N.E.C. Passenger Transport Executive.