§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many proposals for investment in public transport in London since 1984 have been assessed on a cost-benefit basis.
§ Mr. David MitchellMajor investment proposals by London Regional Transport which require specific approvals are appraised on a financial and cost-benefit basis. Since 1984, in addition to projects for which there was clear financial justification, we have received and approved in every case six LRT proposals which depended upon non-financial benefits. In the same period, among the proposals submitted by British Rail two approvals for additional rolling stock were justified in part by the need to meet agreed service quality targets.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money his Department provided, or intends to provide, either directly through the London Docklands Development Corporation or through transport supplementary grant, for investment in new roads in docklands and for public transport in docklands.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Department is supporting £1.884 million of expenditure with transport supplementary grant (TSG). We will consider further schemes for support with TSG if proposed by the boroughs. We have funded half the initial cost of £77 million of the Dock lands light railway through London Regional Transport and we shall be meeting some £83 million of the estimated £150 million cost of the Bank extension, the remainder being contributed by the Canary Wharf Development Company. Trunk road schemes giving access to docklands worth £175 million have been completed or are tinder construction and a further £360 million of expenditure is planned.