§ Ms Glenda JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of property currently owned by(a) the British Railways Board and (b) Railtrack plc is classified as contaminated. [11235]
§ Mr. WattsThis information is not available in the form requested.
It is to be expected that some railway activities have had the potential to cause contamination of land. The British Railways Board takes protective action where there are known problems with land formerly in operational railway use and carries out investigations prior to the sale of property where significant contamination is a possibility because of the previous uses. Railtrack seeks to identify and manage those operational sites and facilities which may represent a significant actual or potential risk of harm to the environment.