I should like to add my support to my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Surrey (Mr. A. Royle) in bringing up this matter and to press the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport to make an announcement and dispel some of the disillusion which has been spreading among local people who thought that with the election of a Labour Government there would be an early announcement on this matter.

I should like to see this line treated as a special case. All closures are regarded as special cases, but in the metropolitan area we must realise that, if people are thrown off this line they will go to the already overcrowded bus service; and if this happens there will be chaos. There is an excellent case for keeping the line open.

If only the people who run the line showed some realism and published the route of the line on transport maps they would attract a great deal of custom. Here is an occasion for Dr. Beeching who is appreciated on both sides of the House as a man of initiative and courage, to say that this is a special case and that something must be done about it here and now. If that happens, both sides of the House will be very satisfied.