§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the powers available to(a) his Department and (b) the Rail Regulator to control (i) frequency of service and (ii) fare costs on the Heathrow Express. [64666]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonAny changes to the frequency of service on the Heathrow Express would be a commercial matter for negotiation between the parties concerned, namely Heathrow Express Operating Company Limited (HEOCL) and Railtrack. Under current legislation, the Heathrow Express service is exempt from licence conditions relating to the level of fares that may be charged. Any modifications to the licence could be obtained only by agreement with HEOCL itself or by reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.