HC Deb 16 July 1990 vol 176 c421W
Mr. Speed

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new money, excluding money already committed, would have been required for the Eurorail proposal to have proceeded for the fast rail link from the channel tunnel to London.

Mr. Freeman

British Rail plans investment of over £1 billion to enable passenger services to commence in 1993. Under Eurorail's proposals this investment expenditure would not have been reimbursed at the time the assets transferred to the joint venture: instead a combination of leasing and a low interest deferred loan of £1 billion was proposed. The joint venture further required a capital grant of £500 million toward the use of the new line by commuter services and British Rail investment of up to £400 million, mainly in commuter terminals.