§ Mr. Adleyasked the Minister of Transport how he anticipates the increase in oil prices will affect the competitiveness of oil-fired transport modes in relation to modes motivated by non-oil fuels.
§ Mr. FowlerThe competitiveness of rail services generally will be increased760W by higher fuel prices because oil costs represent a smaller proportion of the total costs of rail than of road transport. The merits of further main line electrification are currently being reviewed by a joint working group of officials from my Department and the British Railways Board. I expect its interim report shortly.
As far as road transport is concerned, there is a great deal of research under way into non-oil-based fuels, but their use on any substantial scale is still a good way off.