§ Mr. Gerald BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with British Rail in producing a business plan for the Channel tunnel rail link; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloI have asked British Rail to prepare an outline investment appraisal of its proposals for the Channel tunnel rail link.
§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice has been given to date by the independent Safety Authority to the Intergovernmental Commission on the Channel tunnel on whether people should remain in their own road vehicles whilst in transit through the Channel tunnel; and what further advice is expected from the commission and on what time scale.
§ Mr. PortilloIn 1988, the Safety Authority recommended to the Intergovernmental Commission that design work for the Channel tunnel project could continue on the assumption that passengers in private cars would be allowed to remain in their vehicles in shuttle trains. A final decision on this was subject to Eurotunnel producing further evidence about the procedures and arrangements required to ensure the safety of passengers (for example, dealing with emergencies, fire detection and extinction etc.). A substantial amount of further work has been carried out by Eurotunnel, in particular tests on vehicle fires and procedures for the evacuation of passengers in emergencies. The Safety Authority is currently evaluating this and other relevant evidence as a basis for its eventual advice to the Intergovernmental Commission on the principle of the non-segregation of passengers and their vehicles. Decisions are likely to be reached by the commission before the end of the year and will he made public.