§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he will call for a report from the railways inspectorate on the number of stations in British Rail north-east region that do not meet new regulations on platform length; and whether he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will defer any deadline for closure of stations which do not meet the new regulations on platform length in order to allow British Railway to meet new standards.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 18 February 1991]: British Rail has no plans to close stations on safety grounds. There are no new regulations on platform length but Her Majesty's railway inspectorate, has asked British Rail to consider a strategy for improving platforms which fall short of the long-established safety standards. Discussion between British Rail and the inspectorate will be resumed when British Rail has identified the stations in need of improvement and quantified the cost of remedial work.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will provide the additional funding needed to bring stations up to the standard on platform length specified in the new regulations.
§ Mr. McLoughlin[holding answer 18 February 1991]: British Rail is quantifying the work that would be needed to make all existing stations comply with the standard. Only when this study is complete will it be possible for British Rail, in consultation with Her Majesty's railway inspectorate and the Department, to develop a strategy for any necessary station improvements. Overall safety expenditure on the subsidised railway will be supported by means of the public service obligation grant in the normal way.