§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria in respect of(a) safety and (b) compensation to passengers were adopted by his Department in the licensing process for the Heathrow Express. [51796]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonHeathrow Express had to meet full safety case requirements as set out in the Railways (Safety Case) Regulations 1994 before their passenger licence could be granted. However, the licence was not issued with a "through-ticketing and network benefits" condition, owing to the specialised nature of the Heathrow Express service. For example, the station at Heathrow is exempt from the Railways Act 1993 and therefore exempt from the standard train operator ticket retailing agreements (and therefore the usual passenger protections under the conditions of carriage arrangements).
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he received from the Office of the Rail Regulator concerning the licensing of the Heathrow Express. [51776]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Heathrow Express passenger licence was granted by the Secretary of State. No formal representations were received from the Rail Regulator and his office was consulted throughout the licensing process.