§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he will adopt in assessing whether the operation or ownership of the London docklands light railway should be transferred to a non-public body.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMy right hon. Friend will reach a decision, in agreement with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, on what course is most in the public interest.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what total estimated public investment there will have been on the completion in working order of those sections of the London docklands light railway currently authorised by Parliament.
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§ Mrs. ChalkerI expect the cost of the docklands light railway authorised by the London Docklands Railways Acts 1984 and 1985 (Tower Hill to Island Gardens and Poplar to Stratford) to be close to the cash limit of £77 million.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what requests or instructions he has made to London Regional Transport concerning the level and structure of fares and availability of the current system of travel cards on the London docklands light railway.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMy right hon. Friend gave the chairman of LRT general guidance on fares policy in his statement of objectives dated 20 July 1984, on 23 July 1984 at columns 373–74. We have made no requests and given no instructions specifically related to the docklands light railway.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans have been presented to him and what requests he has made to London Regional Transport concerning the extension of the London docklands light railway to the area of the royal docks.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMy right hon. Friend has neither requested nor received any proposals for such an extension. I understand that London Regional Transport and the London Docklands Development Corporation are preparing plans for submission to the Government in due course.