§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of ensuring that drivers' radio phones are effective at all points on the rail network through the installation of extra line side transmitter relay facilities;
(2) what agreement he has reached with British Rail and its subsidiary companies to ensure that drivers' radio phones can be used effectively on all parts of the rail network;
(3) what estimate he has made of the proportion of the rail network on which drivers' radio phones are ineffective because of reception blackspots;
(4) if he will publish a map indicating those sections of the rail network on which drivers' radio phones are ineffective because of reception blackspots.
§ Mr. WattsThese are operational matters for British Rail and Railtrack. I understand that British Rail has fitted the major part of the network with a system known as the national radio network. The target coverage for the NRN is 98 per cent. The remaining 2 per cent. of the network consists of problem spots, mainly in cuttings or tunnels, where complete coverage is not reasonably practicable unless the cab secure radio system for communicating with train drivers is provided. There is no map of these problem spots. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate continues to monitor implementation of the cab radio programme by British Rail and Railtrack.