Supplementary note by the Minister of
Transport (CHT 10A)
When I appeared before the Select Committee
on Wednesday 10 July, I undertook to provide a note in reply to
the question from Anne McIntosh MP on the number of Channel Tunnel
slots being used by SNCF and EWS since November last year.
There is only one rail freight service through
the Channel Tunnel, operated in partnership by EWS and SNCF using
a common pool of locomotives. In effect, SNCF hands over to EWS
responsibility for trains coming into the UK as they pass the
mid-point of the Tunnel, and EWS similarly hands over to SNCF
responsibility for trains as they cross into France. As SNCF does
not operate independent freight services through the Tunnel, and
it is not possible for a train to run through the Tunnel unobserved,
we are confident that SNCF is not poaching any slots at the British
Government's expense.
According to figures provided by EWS, for the
34-week period from 4 November 2001 to 30 June 2002 inclusive,
normal scheduled services from France to the UK would have been
3,020 trains. The normal weekly schedule would be 96 inbound trains
(with scheduled reductions over Christmas and Easter, and in the
first week in May when there are consecutive public holidays in
France).
The actual inbound train service for that period
totalled 1,178 trains, less than 40% of the scheduled service.
You will have seen from the reports of the meeting
between the Home Secretary and the French Interior Minister on
Friday 12 July that the ministers reiterated that normal freight
services from the Frethun depot will resume from September, following
measures to increase security at the site. I welcome this announcement.
However, I would caution against expecting an immediate service
of 100 trains per week in each direction. As I advised the Committee
on 10 July, a number of companies who have been obliged in recent
months to revert to road transport will have needed to sign contracts
for a period of time with the road haulage industry. Those companies
will not be likely to return to the rail freight providers until
their contracts have run their course.
John Spellar MP
23 July 2002
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