HC Deb 25 February 1999 vol 326 cc406-7W
Dan Norris

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he has taken to ensure that the Eurostar Channel Tunnel rail service is more widely available to wheelchair users; [73508]

(2) when he expects provision to be increased on the Eurostar Channel Tunnel rail services for wheelchair users. [73507]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Eurostar trains were designed and built to be fully wheelchair accessible. Each train provides accommodation for two people to travel in their own wheelchairs. In the first 6 months of 1997 (the latest period for which figures are available) out of over 20,000 wheelchair spaces offered (120 spaces every day on 60 services), only 400 were taken up. Eurostar therefore have no plans to increase current levels of provision.