LOCAL AUTHORITIES CENTRAL RAILWAY CONSORTIUM

That this House welcomes the establishment of the Local Authorities Central Railway Consortium by 17 councils with a combined population of nearly four million people to address common concerns about the Central Railway project; notes that the Central Railway scheme involves the construction of a 672 km long freight railway between the North West of England and northern France via the Channel Tunnel, offering a lorries on trains service; regrets that the promoters have failed to undertake any substantive assessment of the environmental impact of this massive project, to provide evidence that it would integrate effectively with the existing rail freight network and not disrupt passenger services on the Chiltern Line, or to show that lorry journeys to the proposed huge freight terminals would not substantially increase heavy goods vehicle mileage on congested roads and motorways; observes that Arup Transportation, on behalf of the consortium, has raised serious concerns about the construction costs and financial viability of the project and its advisability as a strategic transport solution; views with alarm the intention of the promoters of the project to persuade the Government to fast-track its progress by introducing a hybrid bill rather than allowing normal consideration under the Transport and Works Act 1992; and whilst supporting a shift of freight from road to rail, invites the Minister to decline to be pressed by Central Railways into premature acceptance of the project unless and until the legitimate concerns of the Local Authorities Central Railway Consortium have been properly addressed.