Lord Marlesford askedHer Majesty's Government:
Whether they regard Railtrack as having kept the rail approaches to Liverpool Street Station in London adequately clean and free from litter and railway detritus; and, if not, what action they propose to take. [HL3214]
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)The Government and Railtrack recognise that the rail approaches to Liverpool Street Station require attention.
Last year, my department published a revised Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (under the Environmental Protection Act 1990). Railtrack is subject to the code, which sets out how quickly different types of railway land should be tidied of litter and rubbish to a set standard of cleanliness. The Railways Act 1993 (Consequential Modifications) Order 1999 applies to Railtrack provisions in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requiring statutory undertakers to clear litter and rubbish from their land. Under the order, Railtrack faces being taken to court if it does not comply.
For its part, Railtrack has put up litter awareness posters at stations. Its contractors are required to maintain the standard of cleanliness of all track and to clear litter within timescales shorter than those required by law. Also, it is working with the Tidy Britain Group, and with the Environment Agency's Flytipping Forum, to identify ways of tracking litter and associated problems.