HC Deb 15 November 1977 vol 939 cc158-9W
Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what approaches have been made by his Department over the past two years to private companies with the objective of persuading them to ship freight by rail instead of road; and how many companies have been approached.

Mr. William Rodgers

It is the Government's policy to encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail, and Government grants towards the cost of private sidings are available to companies under Section 8 of the Railways Act 1974. But it is for the British Railways Board to decide on the marketing strategy best able to win new freight traffic for the railways.