§ 48. Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list proposed closures of branch lines in which he overruled the recommendations of transport users consultative committees over the past two years.
§ Mr. Eyre:Transport users consultative committees have a duty to report on possible hardship that might be caused by closure of a rail passenger service. My right hon. Friend's duty is to have regard not only to this but to all other relevant matters. It is not usual for TUCCs to make recommendations about the future of services proposed for closure. The TUCCs for Scotland and London recommended that the Glasgow-Kilmacolm and Woodside-Selsdon services should remain open; my right hon. Friend rejected these recommendations in the light of wider considerations.