§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage freight. haulage by rail. [8104]
§ Mr. WattsRail must improve its performance if it is to attract new traffic and retain existing freight customers. The key to this is liberalisation and privatisation. We have already opened up the rail network to competition. Privatisation of British Rail's freight businesses is well advanced.
Some 145 rail freight grants have been awarded since 1979, with a total value of £100 million at today's prices, securing traffic to rail equivalent to over 2.5 million lorry journeys per year.