Oral Answers to Questions — Rail Freight

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 April 2001.

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Photo of Jim Dobbin Jim Dobbin Labour/Co-operative, Heywood and Middleton 12:00, 24 April 2001

Does the Minister accept that there is an imbalance in a process that allocates the equivalent of about £7 billion in Government funds to the road haulage industry over 10 years, and £3.4 billion to rail freight? That makes it difficult for rail freight to compete. The Treasury should consider creating a level playing field; that would help the funding process, and would also help the Government to achieve their environmental and economic targets. It would enable much more freight to be transferred from road to rail.