SOUTH WEST TRANSPORT MUST HAVE FAIR SHARE OF FUTURE INVESTMENT- TYLER

Lord Tyler has called upon the Government to support the region’s transport infrastructure with greater investment and joined up thinking.

In a House of Lords Debate on Transport in the South West, Lord Tyler commented  “The Greater Western franchise award to the First Group, which has been referred to, recognises both the need for more effective integration of transport services and service improvements, but the original estimates of demand were obviously too low. There will be a temptation to manage excessive demand for train travel by deliberately pricing passengers off the rails, which surely should not be something that we should encourage, rather than finding the necessary investment to create additional capacity.”

Referring to the stretch of mainline railway beyond Starcross through to Teignmouth, which he referred to as  “the most wonderful place in the world to see the sea beside the rail track”, Lord Tyler highlighted the consequences of climate change. “We are told that there will be a rise in sea levels, and an increasing frequency in severe storms which can simply dislocate the whole of the main line beyond Exeter. In those circumstances, we can anticipate more cancelled services and even perhaps the track becoming structurally unstable, so we must look at other possibilities.”

Commenting on the A30 at Goss Moor, the former MP for North Cornwall went on to say “I know how important this is, not just in economic terms or for Cornwall's tourism, but for the communities around that area which have suffered from blight from all the traffic—heavy lorries in many cases that have been forced to take other routes through sensitive areas. It is the worst bottleneck between Glasgow and Land's End, and the sooner it goes, the better.

Regarding Cornwall’s air-links, Lord Tyler highlighted the importance of retaining the landing slots at Gatwick. “We used to have them at Heathrow, which was even better. It is particularly important for the far south-west. We do not have an option of surface transport which is in any way comparable to what can be provided by air.”

Lord Tyler demanded that the Government “today declare precisely what support will be given for the transfer from military to civilian use of Newquay... it would be extraordinary if the Ministry of Defence was allowed to wash its hands of its responsibility and ignore the responsibilities of the Department for Transport. It would make a complete sham of joined-up government.” The Government Minister replied “There is no doubt that the intended withdrawal of the RAF from St Mawgan will have a colossal impact on Newquay Airport….. We recognise that the provision of the essential infrastructure will now fall on the civil authority—the airport authority—which will need help…..it is obvious that extra resources are necessary to guarantee Newquay Airport's continuation, which we want.”

End

The full text of Paul Tyler’s Speech can be found at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds06/text/60120-12.htm

House of Lords Hansard – 20 January Column 934