§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the additional number of (a) private vehicles and (b) passengers in private vehicles travelling to work as a result of the rail dispute; and what proportion (b) represents of daily commuter train travel.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeCommuters have been extremely resourceful in getting to work in spite of the rail dispute. For example, normally some 400,000 commuters travel into London daily by British Rail trains. They have found a variety of ways of coping. Some have come by car, either their own or a friend's, others have used coaches and buses, and others have stayed in town. I cannot provide figures of the precision sought, but London employers have told me that the vast majority of their staff have been able to get to work and elsewhere there has been virtually a full turnout.