§ Mr. LazarowiczTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he is taking to ensure that the provisions of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 concerning regional passenger services are put into effect. [49959]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Transport Act 2000 repealed the part of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 concerning regional passenger services and, as of 2001, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has a duty under S206(4) of the Transport Act 2000 to formulate a strategy for British passenger services through the Channel Tunnel.
In the year 2000 the British Railways Board reviewed its plan for international regional services as it was obliged to do under Section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987. This review is available on its website at www.brb.gov.uk and concludes that Regional Eurostar services would be heavily loss making and that there are no economic, environmental or social grounds for providing a subsidy.
The SRA have said that later this year they will publish a strategy relating to services in various parts of Great Britain for facilitating the carriage of passengers or goods by rail by way of the Channel Tunnel.