Report of question and answer between Lord Laird and The Chief Executive of the Road Service, Dr Malcolm McKibben in March 2006.
Monday 19th October 2009
Railways
Question
Asked by Lord Laird
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they encourage the building or rebuilding of railway lines over the construction of motorways for environmental reasons. [HL5648]
The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Department for Transport's overarching approach to transport planning is set out in our 2008 publication, Delivering a Sustainable Transport System. In this context, the department takes account of a wide range of environmental impacts alongside economic and social concerns to determine the most appropriate solution for particular transport problems.
For large passenger flows between major cities, rail is far more energy efficient than road transport. It is also this Government's policy not to build motorways on new alignments but rather to make best use of the existing motorway network.
[From Lords Hansard; Debate on The Queen's Speech; monday 23rd November 2009] 7.11 pm
Lord Laird: My Lords, I am conscious that since the devolution of power to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2007, there have not been many opportunities to look at issues that concern the Province. However, it is only correct that noble Lords should be kept informed of some aspects of progress in Northern Ireland.
The major problem is that the Executive is a mandatory coalition and individual Ministers seem to consider that they can pursue any policy they like even if it is not accepted by the rest of the Executive members. Today, as an example, I will consider our relationship with the Irish Republic and its support for a project which affects us.
Over the past few years a proposal has arisen that is being promoted by the Minister responsible for regional development, called the western transport corridor. The concept is to build a new motorway from the Irish border near Dungannon that will run for 60 miles to Londonderry. This would provide quick access for those in Donegal, in the Republic, to their capital city of Dublin. While the 60 miles is in the United Kingdom the Irish Government claim to have ring-fenced half a billion pounds as their part of the cost. The rest is to be paid out of UK taxpayers' funds-an issue that I will return to later. This proposal is an environmental nightmare which will not be ready for at least 10 years and, in my view, will make Northern Ireland the laughing stock of Europe. At a time when countries are ceasing to build multi-lane highways, are we to take the expensive step of driving a motorway through some of the very best farming land in the Province with all the attendant pollution problems?
The concept of creating a corridor for fast transport from Londonderry to Dublin is understandable. However, there is an alternative which is supported by environmentalists throughout these islands, an increasing number of people in the area and a cross-section of Assembly Members at Stormont. In 1965, much to the dismay of many of us, a trunk railway line from Portadown to the Maiden City was closed. The track bed from this line is still available and its junction at Portadown provides access to the increasingly faster service from Belfast to Dublin. So why can it not be relaid, updated and function once again? The arguments for the railway solution are many. For example, with the use of EU funding for rail interstate transit, the cost to each Government would be reduced to less than half of the motorway.
The amount of CO2 emissions in the area of the route would be reduced by 60 per cent. Rail is less of a pollutant than road transport. The journey time by rail as opposed to the time for an express bus to travel from Londonderry to Dublin would be up to one-and-a-half hours less. Facilities on the trains could include dining and more luxurious accommodation. Importantly, rail transport is estimated to be 27 times safer than road. There is an appalling record of death and injury on our roads every year. The renewed rail link would have arrangements for freight with depots at Portadown, Dungannon, Omagh, Strabane and Londonderry. This alone would take a considerable number of large trucks off the roads. The rail link could be extended in due course to Letterkenny, Enniskillen and possibly even to other places.
Energy-efficient rail consumes up to 80 per cent less oil than road transport. The line could even be electrified in time. The amount of land required for a railway is only 15 per cent of that for a motorway. Also, we should remember that the course of the line still exists. If the proposed motorway is built between Strabane and Londonderry, most of it will be on embankments eight feet off the ground. It is an area with particular drainage problems, and such a construction would make more than 1,000 acres of prime land unusable with no compensation for the farmers. These embankments will be a major eyesore in the beautiful Foyle Valley. The outcome of the proposed environmentally unfriendly A5 scheme will be that large amounts of CO2 will be dumped in a part of the United Kingdom, increasing our pollution problems.
The number of passengers estimated to travel from Londonderry to Dublin is a considerable 660,000 a year. However, it is also expected that there would be many intermediate journeys such as Strabane to Dungannon. There is little doubt that the programme of upgrading the current road system in the area must continue, but the railway project would be quicker to build and to travel on, and it will not disturb the natural farming land and associated environments for wildlife. Possibly the biggest reason for the renewal of the rail link is that this is happening all over the UK and Europe.
Scotland is a fine example when it comes to reopening and upgrading lines. It is not the policy of either our national Government or of the EU to support the building of a motorway when a railway option is available. There is also the difficulty of cost. It is suggested that the UK contribution is also ring-fenced. I would like the Government's view on that. No Government in this economic climate can afford to spend large amounts of funds when it is clearly not necessary. There is strong opposition to this proposal from all sides.
I point to two strong advocates of rail over road as the cheaper and cleaner option. Tom Elliott, the MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, has spared no effort in bringing together a coalition of groups opposed to this waste of resources. Mr Elliott's support and work for this campaign to protect the environment is vital. I also highlight the considerable work carried out by a Member of your Lordships' House, the noble Lord, Lord Morrow, who is also an MLA for the same area. He has been working hard to put the case for many farmers who will be uprooted if this environmentally incorrect proposal goes ahead. This campaign will succeed only with his support and that of his party. I look forward to supporting their work and that of others in this battle to preserve the beautiful countryside in Tyrone and Londonderry.
Hansard 27th May 2010 2.20pm
Lord Laird:
Legislation concerning the method of selection of the First and Deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland is also a matter for this Parliament. May I suggest that there is a need for consideration of the democratic understanding for such posts? Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 18 January 2010 on the very controversial subject of a multilane motorway from the border to Londonderry, the A5, Martin McGuinness, the Deputy First Minister, said:
“It is imperative that the A5 road project go ahead. I understand that some landowners will have concerns, but they will have opportunities to make enquiries and raise those concerns. However, let nobody be in any doubt whatsoever that those two vital projects—the Belfast to Larne project and the Aughnacloy to the north-west gateway project—will go ahead”.
That is from the Official Report of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The concerns that landowners have in the case of the A5 are full scale and important. Farms in fertile areas, listed buildings, habitats for wildlife and homes are to be destroyed, and the official process of planning and environmental assessment will count for nought, according to Mr McGuinness. “Be under no doubt the project will go ahead”, he told the Assembly. There was no mention of the statutory planning process. This may be the kind of democratic process that Sinn Fein thinks it has signed up to, but it will not be tolerated by the ordinary people of the area.
I agree with the new Government’s decision to cut down on the use of consultants. I would also ask that they examine the quality of some of their work in future before engagement. I am concerned with the work undertaken in the area of environmental assessment.
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