§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many freight railway lines have been opened to passenger traffic under the Transport Act 1962 (Amendment) Act 1981; and if he will list these with mileages of track, dates of opening and whether they remain open to passenger traffic.
§ Mr. PortilloFifteen stretches of freight line have been opened or re-opened by British Rail to passenger traffic under the Transport Act 1962 (Amendment) Act 1981. The details are as folows:
Line Year Approximate mileage Penistone-Barnsley 1983 7.5 Newbridge Junction-Bathgate 1986 10.2 Kettering-Corby 1987 5.5 Dore Curve (Derbyshire) 1987 0.25 Morecambe-Heysham Harbour 1987 4.0 Oxford-Bicester 1987 10.0 Coventry-Nuneaton 1987 10.0 Coatbridge Central-Motherwell 1987 5.0 Cardiff City 1987 4.15 Abercynon-Aberdare 1988 5.75 Lichfield City-Lichfield Trent Valley 1988 1.25 Bishop Auckland-Stanhope 1988 9.6 Walsall-Hednesford 1989 9.75 Thornton West Junction-Thornton South Junction (Fife) 1989 0.25 Altrincham-Stockport 1989 8.0 Note:
All these lines remain open to passenger traffic.