§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implications for his policy towards maximum lorry weights of the decision to proceed with a fixed Channel link.
§ Mr. David MitchellGovernment policy on maximum lorry weights remained unchanged. Maximum lorry weights in European Community countries are governed by a directive agreed in December 1984, from which the United Kingdom has a derogation allowing us to retain our domestic maximum weight limit of 38 tonnes. This derogation can only be ended by unanimous agreement in the Council of Ministers. We shall continue to carry out checks on incoming vehicles to ensure that they comply with our domestic requirements.
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§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Transport what preliminary estimates he has received from British Rail as to the cost of altering the loading gauge on the lines to the proposed Channel tunnel to permit containers to be conveyed by rail from other parts of the United Kingdom; and what indication he has received regarding the proposed timetable and the number of bridge alterations and other major works likely to be involved in such a programme.
§ Mr. David MitchellBritish Rail has estimated it will need to spend some £3 million on works for clearances for CFL container traffic. This work would be confined to the line between Tonbridge and Redhill, and British Rail at present expects it to be carried out between 1988 and 1991. It is for British Rail to develop detailed proposals.