§ Lord Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 15 December 1998 (WA 139–140) that the British Railways Board published a plan in December 1989 as required under Section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 on the development of through Channel Tunnel rail passenger services to the United Kingdom's region and the ongoing duties retained by the BRB in respect of the section, whether they will now require the BRB to publish an update of its plan. [HL410]
§ Lord WhittyIt is proposed that the BRB will transfer to the Strategic Rail Authority at the earliest opportunity, subject to legislation. Section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act does not require the Secretary of State to instruct BRB to publish an update of its plan. Nonetheless, government will be commissioning a thorough and independent study of options for regional services and will review the study recently completed by Inter-Capital and Regional Rail Limited and the alternative proposals put forward by the Virgin Group.
§ Lord Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 15 December 1998 (WA 139–140) noting that Section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 explicitly requires the British Railways Board's plan to include measures which it considers ought to be taken by any person in the United Kingdom or France in relation to through rail passenger services to and from the United Kingdom's regions, what measures the BRB has taken in the light of these wider requirements, notwithstanding the loss of its direct responsibility for their service provision. [HL409]
§ Lord WhittyThe BRB published a plan in December 1989 which included measures which the BRB considered at that time ought to be taken by any person in respect of Channel Tunnel services. This was kept under review by the BRB and European Passenger Services Ltd. while responsibility for services remained with the board.