HC Deb 15 November 2000 vol 356 cc656-7W
Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list(a) the contractors and sub-contractors responsible to Railtrack for maintenance of the track at Hatfield and (b) the names of passenger and freight train operators using that line, together with the (i) owners and (ii) lessees of the motive power and rolling stock used and their contractors for (1) medium and (2) heavy maintenance of that stock. [138213]

Mr. Hill

Railtrack's contractor responsible for maintaining the track at Hatfield is Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance Ltd. Information is not held centrally on sub-contractors used by Balfour Beatty.

The train companies which use the line at Hatfield and their suppliers of rolling stock and maintenance are given in the table. Train maintenance is normally split into light and heavy maintenance rather than light and medium.

for the licensing and inspection of (a) contractors used by the owners and lessors of the stock for medium and heavy maintenance and (b) contractors used by other owning or leasing companies with contracts with rail operators. [138212]

Mr. Hill

The Health and Safety Executive do not license either type of contractor. The duty for ensuring the competence of a contractor in the railway industry lies with the holder of the accepted safety case. The holders of safety cases for the railway industry are (in summary) Railtrack, Railtrack's main contractors, the freight and passenger train operators and London Underground.

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