§ Ms. JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the effect of rail freight traffic from the channel tunnel on south-east London on the frequency of rail journeys in that area.
§ Mr. FreemanWith the infrastructure and signalling improvements currently being undertaken on lines in Kent and London, BR believes that it will be able to operate international services without adversely affecting domestic traffic.
§ Ms. JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the environmental impact statement of the channel tunnel and rail link on south-east London.
§ Mr. FreemanAlthough an environmental statement was not a requirement of the House for the Channel Tunnel Bill, a report "Channel Fixed Link: Environmental Appraisal of Alternative Proposals" was published in December 1985. Copies were placed in the Library. Eurotunnel also provided supporting documents to the Select Committee that considered the Bill. An environmental statement for the new rail link will be published in support of an application for statutory approval. The rail link is not planned to pass through south-east London.
§ Ms. JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of studies on noise and vibration with particular reference to south London carried out by the Derby railway research study centre since 1985.
§ Mr. FreemanThe studies requested were carried out by British Rail Research on a commercial in confidence basis. The Department cannot therefore deposit the studies in the Library.