§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what checks are made of the contents of freight lorries before they are allowed into the Channel Tunnel. [7921]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonEurotunnel staff carry out regular checks on the contents of freight lorries using the Channel Tunnel.
Hauliers carrying goods classified as "Dangerous" are required to notify Eurotunnel on arrival at the tolls. The goods are checked against the permitted carriage list and cleared for travel. Staff are informed so that special arrangements can be made for loading the lorry in a specified location on the shuttle so that, in the event of an incident, the emergency services can be informed.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps have been taken to preserve the integrity and functioning of the overhead power lines in the channel tunnel in the event of a fire. [7920]
§ Ms JacksonChanges to operating procedures relating to action to be taken in the event of a fire alarm on board an HGV shuttle, arising from the implementation of recommendations contained in the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority's Inquiry Report, have meant that the risk to the overhead power line, the catenary, has been reduced. However, in response to Recommendation 4 of the Safety Authority Report, Eurotunnel are employing consultants to examine the feasibility of reducing the chances of the catenary tripping.
Under the changed procedures the operators—Eurotunnel—no longer operate a drive-through policy or one in which the locomotive and amenity coach is de-coupled and driven through. Consequently the preservation of the integrity of the overhead power line is of less importance to the safety of people in an emergency. In the event of a fire on board an HGV shuttle the running tunnel systems will be configured for an emergency and the train will be brought to a controlled stop alongside a cross passage door for evacuation into the service tunnel.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the risks involved in allowing freight to be transported through the channel tunnel in lattice-sided wagons. [7919]
§ Ms JacksonThis is a matter for the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission, advised by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority. In its Inquiry Report into the incident on 18 November 1996 the Safety Authority concluded that the semi-open design of HGV shuttles could be used in a way that secured the safety of people. Before approval was given for the resumption of HGV shuttle services, the Commission and the Safety Authority examined a detailed submission by the operators of the Channel Tunnel, Eurotunnel, and satisfied themselves that the operating procedures proposed were such that semi-open HGV shuttle wagons were able to be operated safely.