HC Deb 14 May 1996 vol 277 cc397-8W
Ms Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which rail lines wheelchair users are required to travel in the guard's van; and if he will make a statement. [23187]

Mr. Watts

The necessity for wheelchair users to travel in the guard's van is becoming increasingly rare. The extent to which train operating companies operate accessible trains in which wheelchair users are carried in the passenger saloon is as followsAnglia Railway Train Services Ltd. All trains used are accessible. Cardiff Railway Co. Ltd. The company hires one inaccessible loco-hauled train from a private company. It is used to make one journey and back from the valleys to Cardiff on Mondays to Fridays at peak times. Otherwise the company operates an entirely accessible fleet of diesel Sprinters and Pacers. Central Trains Ltd. Central Trains mostly operates accessible modern electric trains and Sprinters. They have a few inaccessible electric multiple unit trains used on CENTRO, West Midland Passenger Transport Executive, services in and around Birmingham and on a few services between Birmingham and Liverpool.

  • Chiltern Railway Co. Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • CrossCounty Trains Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • Gatwick Express Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • Great Eastern Railway Ltd. Operates almost exclusively accessible modern EMUs but has a few older inaccessible EMUs that mostly operate only in the Monday to Friday morning and evening peak periods between Liverpool Street and Clacton.
  • Great Western Trains Co. Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • InterCity East Coast Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • InterCity West Coast Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • Island Line Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • LTS Rail Ltd. Currently operates a fleet comprised of inaccessible older EMUs.
  • Merseyrail Electrics Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • Midland Main Line Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
  • Network SouthCentral Ltd. Use modern accessible EMUs on their suburban routes but have traditional inaccessible "Southern Region" EMUs on their routes to Brighton, Eastbourne, East Grinstead etc.
North London Railways Ltd. All main services are operated with modern accessible EMUs. There are just seven inaccessible diesel multiple unit trains used on branch line services between BletchleyBedford, Gospel Oak-Barking and Willesden Junction-Clapham Junction. North West Regional Railways Ltd. Operates almost entirely with a modern fleet of accessible diesel Sprinters and Pacers. Trains between Crewe and Holyhead are formed of old loco-hauled trains that have been converted so as to be accessible. Some suburban trains in and around Greater Manchester are formed of older inaccessible DMUs and EMUs. Regional Railways North East Ltd. Operates almost entirely with a modern fleet of accessible diesel Sprinters and Pacers. Modern accessible EMUs are used on a local service between Doncaster and Leeds. Local trains between Leeds/Bradford and Ilkley/Skipton are operated on behalf of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive using older inaccessible EMUs. ScotRail Railways Ltd. Operates almost entirely with a fleet of accessible diesel Sprinters and accessible EMUs. Some inaccessible older DMUs and EMUs are used on suburban services in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow; in the latter on behalf of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive. Last summer, ScotRail also hired one inaccessible loco-hauled train from a private company that was used for one round trip each day between Inverness and Edinburgh. South Wales and West Railway Ltd. Operate almost entirely with a fleet of accessible modern Sprinters. Hire one older inaccessible loco-hauled train from a private company which is mostly used in summer for one round trip between Bristol and Weymouth on a route that is otherwise served by accessible trains. South West Trains Ltd. Use modern accessible EMUs on their suburban routes. Also have modern accessible trains on many services to Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Weymouth and Exeter, However still also run some inaccessible older "Southern Region" style EMUs on these routes.
  • Thameslink All trains used are accessible.
  • Thames Trains Ltd. All trains used are accessible.
The South Eastern Train Co. Ltd. Uses modern accessible EMUs on its suburban routes but has traditional inaccessible "Southern Region" EMUs on its routes to Hastings and Kent coast. West Anglia Great Northern Railway Ltd. All trains used are accessible.

Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to the franchise director in respect of train operating companies guaranteeing disabled access to train. [25503]

Mr. Watts

[pursuant to his answer, 23 April 1996, c. 76]: None. The Rail Regulator is responsible for protecting the interests of disabled rail passengers. All train and station operators are required to submit for the regulator's approval, a disabled people's protection policy, as a condition of being granted a licence to operate. Details of the accessibility of rolling stock were set out in my answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short) today.