London Underground (Hansard, 17 October 1989)

§ Mr. Spearing
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement concerning the implications for passenger safety of the extension of one-person operation on the deep level tube sections of the London Underground;
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(2) if he will place in the Library copies of the correspondence concerning consultations between London Underground Ltd and the railway inspectorate on proposals for extending one-person operation on the tube railways of London.

§ Mr. Portillo
Extension of one-person operation is primarily a matter for London Underground Ltd" which has a statutory obligation to operate its services safely. There is, nevertheless, full consultation between London Underground Ltd and the railway inspectorate about the safety aspects of one-person operation proposals. The inspectorate would keep me informed about any proposal with which it was not satisfied. I am content with this arrangement and see no need for copies of correspondence to be placed in the Library.

§ Mr. Spearing
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action has been taken by the railway inspectorate to implement recommendation No. 131 of the Fennell report on the King's Cross line, requiring it to enlist outside advice in respect of one-person operation of trains in deep tube tunnels.

§ Mr. Portillo
The railway inspectorate, with the assistance of the Health and Safety Executive and the London Fire Brigade, undertook an investigation into the management of safety on the London Underground earlier in the year. Since the Fennell report was concerned with safety at stations, the investigation concentrated on the safety of passengers and staff in stations. It did not address the question of one-person operated trains. My right hon. Friend the member for Southend, West (Mr. Channon) the then Secretary of State for Transport, announced on 24 May that he was that day publishing the inspectorate's report of the investigation, a copy of which is in the Library.

§ Mr. Spearing
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to when and how London Underground Ltd, in accordance with recommen-dation 148 of the Fennell report, informed the travelling public of its intention to extend one-person operation of tube trains.

§ Mr. Portillo
London Underground Limited made it clear, when accepting recommendation 148 of the Fennell report, that information on safety performance would be transmitted to the London Regional Passengers' Committee from time to time; and that it would also mount publicity campaigns about specific safety issues as appropriate. It is for London Underground to consider the extent and timing of any publicity which it considers to be appropriate in relation to one-person operation of tube trains.

§ Mr. Spearing
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the safety audit committee of London Regional Transport, established consequent to recommen-dation 79 of the Fennell report, has within its responsibilities or terms of reference the level of platform staffing on stations and the planned extension of one-person operation of tube trains in London.

§ Mr. Portillo
The terms of reference of the safety audit committee are contained within the London Regional Transport document "Management of Safety", a copy of which was placed in the Library on 6 February 1989. They cover wide aspects of safety throughout LRT.