HC Deb 20 March 1995 vol 257 cc89-90W
Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the name, location and acreage of each site or other property owned by Railtrack which is currently for sale; and if he will estimate the total value of those sites and properties.

Mr Watts

I am advised by Railtrack that the list of sites currently for sale is as listed. This includes several compulsory purchase orders, including the M11 extension transaction at Leyton. The list also includes sales where contracts have been entered into, but not yet completed. Estimates of proceeds are a matter for Railtrack.

Sites Description Area (Acres)
Aberdeen Ferry Hill 2.0
Borough Green Land at Station Road 0.3
Bradford Land adjacent Station 16.0
Bromley South Land adjacent Station 1.1
Enfield Land adjacent Station 1.1
Cambridge Former Coal Yard 2.4

Sites Description Area (Acres)
Camden Chalk Farm Stanley Sidings 2.0
Charing Cross Carrara House 0.3
Charing Cross Ship and Shovel 0.1
Chichester Land adjacent Station1 2.6
Eastbourne Former Goods Yard 0.5
Hemel Hempstead Land adjacent Station 0.1
Kentish Town Land at Spring Place 0.4
Kentish Town West Land at Artic Street 0.5
Leatherhead Land adjacent Station1 2.5
Leyton Part of Former Engineers Depot 4.6
Marylebone Land at Harewood Avenue1 1.7
Merthyr Tydfil Goods Yard1 4.7
Oxford Former Goods yard1 5.9
Radyr Former Goods Yard 1.0
Reigate Land at Station1 0.6
Silvertown Goods Yard 5.4
St. Leonards West Marine 0.5
Stevenage Coal Yard 5.9
Urmston Former Goods Yard1 2.0
Weymouth Land adjacent Station 3.8
1 These transactions are tied in with new or improved station facilities.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are currently employed(a) in York and (b) in other locations by Railtrack's east coast and north east zones; and how many people will be employed (i) in York and (ii) in other locations after the two zones have been merged.

Mr. Watts

I am advised by Railtrack that the combined establishment of the company's north-east and east coast main line zones is 2,129, of which 521 posts are in York. I am also advised that the small number of staff likely to be displaced as a consequence of the merger of the zones will be offered alternative employment within the company.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the name, location, acreage and date of sale of each site or other property sold by Railtrack since its creation; and what is the total amount of money received from those sales.

Mr. Watts

I am advised by Railtrack that to date Railtrack has received £8 million in sales receipts from 134 individual transactions. This figure includes compensation from compulsory purchase orders, notably the Jubilee line extension scheme. Details of the individual transactions are commercially confidential.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date Railtrack's east coast zone and its north-east zone will merge; and where the headquarters of the new merged zone will be situated.

Mr. Watts

Railtrack's north-east and east coast main-line zones are scheduled to merge on 26 June 1995. The headquarters of the combined zone will be situated in York.

Mr. Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that the safety directorate of Railtrack should not be privatised. [14429]

Mr. Watts

No. The legislative framework for railway safety developed by the Health and Safety Commission ahead of privatisation will remain robust following the privatisation of Railtrack as a single entity.