§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Transport if he will estimate the effects 450W on the income of the British Railways Board and on its proposed fare increases if a transfer of each 1 per cent, of the annual passenger miles travelled by motor car were to be paid in rail fares of equivalent mileage.
§ Mr. FowlerIf British Rail were able to win traffic equivalent to 1 per cent, of car occupant miles, rail passenger miles would increase by about 12 per cent, and BR's passenger revenue by about £95 million per year at current fare levels. The net financial effect would depend on which services the extra passengers used and whether an increase in carrying capacity would be required. It is, therefore, impossible to gauge the effect on rail fares or on the income of the board at constant levels of grant.