HC Deb 01 February 1994 vol 236 cc626-7W
Mr. Dunn

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions have been made to facilitate the introduction of international rail passenger services through the channel tunnel.

Mr. Freeman

Major infrastructure improvements have been undertaken on United Kingdom lines to the channel tunnel. Regular services to Paris and Brussels from the new dedicated international passenger terminal at Waterloo will begin this year. Day and night time services will also run from regions north and west of London to Paris and Brussels. These services should begin in 1995.

BR/SNCF and SNCB have on order from a consortium led by GEC-Alsthom a fleet of high-speed trains for use on inter-capital services. BR is responsible for 11 of these Eurostar trainsets. BR is also purchasing from the consortium seven modified versions of these same trainsets to provide daytime services from north of London to Paris and Brussels.

The board has been considering the financing options for these trainsets and has concluded that leasing arrangements can give commercial and financing benefits. A number of leases have been finalised in 1993–94, through the board's subsidiary, European Passenger Services, to which I have given my approval, and more leases are expected. The Government intend to give a non-statutory guarantee to BRB in respect of its liability under the leases. The guarantee will be notified to Parliament in the usual way.

A new joint venture company, European Night Services Ltd., has also been set up by BR, SNCF, German and Dutch railways to provide sleeper services through the channel tunnel. European Night Services has entered into a leasing arrangement in respect of the rolling stock which will be used for these services.

Mr. Rowe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the forecasts of the number of commuters expected(a) to use the channel tunnel rail link and (b) to leave the channel tunnel rail link at St. Pancras.

Mr. Freeman

It is too early to say. The number of commuters using the line and the St. Pancras terminus will depend, among other factors, upon the general level of commuting from Kent into London and upon the precise service pattern adopted.

Mr. Rowe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for a direct link between the channel tunnel rail link and crossrail.

Mr. Freeman

The proposed connection via Forest Gate and Ripple Lane was ruled out because it would have been expensive, environmentally damaging and possibly impractical.

Mr. Rowe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will define the relationship which now exists between his Department and Union Railways following the final announcement of the channel tunnel rail link route.

Mr. Freeman

Union Railways continues to have operational responsibility for all aspects of the channel tunnel rail link project. Union Railways is responsible, under the overall direction of the Department of Transport, for the private aspects of the proposed hybrid Bill; and acts, together with European Passenger Services, as project manager to the Department for the competition to transfer UR and EPS to the private sector.