HC Deb 28 November 1988 vol 142 cc154-6W
24. Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received regarding regional access to the Channel tunnel by road and rail.

Mr. Portillo

I have had a number of representations but those regarding rail services are best directed to BR which has established working groups in each region of the United Kingdom.

28. Mr. Amos

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss progress made to date to link the north-east of England with the Channel tunnel.

Mr. Portillo

I shall be discussing with the chairman British Rail's plans for Channel tunnel services when BR has completed the consultations required by the Channel Tunnel Act.

45. Mr. Rathbone

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to accelerate rail and road improvement programmes for east-west access to the Channel tunnel to meet increased traffic in 1992 and thereafter.

Mr. Portillo

Rail access is the responsibility of British Rail. It is required by section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act to publish a plan by the end of 1989 setting out its proposals for international passenger and freight services. BR is currently consulting interested parties in all regions of the United Kingdom, including the south-east. The Department is pressing ahead with a number of motorway and trunk road schemes which take account of the requirements of traffic to and from the Channel tunnel.

48. Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held with local authorities in the north-west of England regarding the impact of the Channel tunnel on the north-west's transport infrastructure.

Mr. Portillo

My predecessor addressed the "Transport 2000" conference in Manchester in February at which most of the region's country and district councils were represented.

The Department is involved in meetings between British Rail and regional interests, including local authorities, as part of British Rail's obligation to prepare by the end of 1989 a plan for passenger and freight services to the regions.

50. Mr. Gerald Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact he expects the proposed routes for the Channel tunnel railway links to have on the residents and the environment of Dulwich; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo

It is too soon to say. I understand that some of the proposed route options would affect parts of Dulwich. British Rail is at present consulting local authorities and other interested parties about its proposals.

56. Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold a public inquiry into the location of a second rail terminal for Channel tunnel services in London.

Mr. Portillo

British Rail will need to seek statutory authorisation for the works associated with a second London terminal. The normal procedure for authorisation of new railway works is by means of a private Bill, which allows objectors to state their case to both Houses of Parliament.

61. Mr. Hind

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received for direct rail links between Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter and the Channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo

British Rail is required by section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act to publish a plan by the end of 1989 setting out its proposals for passenger and freight services via the tunnel and any infrastructure developments they consider necessary to support those services. British Rail is currently consulting interested parties in all regions of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Rowe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will publish all terms of the agreement made between British Rail and SNCF in connection with Channel tunnel traffic; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo

The Government were not party to the agreement between BR and SNCF and have no power to direct that it should be published. I understand that both the parties regard the details of the agreement as commercially confidential.