Written question asked by Baroness May of Maidenhead (Conservative) on Wednesday, 10 April 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 16 April 2002. It was answered by Stephen Byers (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 April 2002 on behalf of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Dept for Transport Local Government and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the environmental benefits of switching road haulage to rail on the West Coast Main Line.

Answer: Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the environmental benefits of switching road haulage to rail on the West Coast Main Line. [49702] Mr. Byers: The Strategic Rail Authority assesses the environmental benefit of the transfer of freight from road to rail using a calculation based on the net number of road lorry miles reduced. This has been applied in informing the current review of the allocation of capacity for passenger and freight trains on the West Coast Main Line.

Secondary information