Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-31-Speech-3-166"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2001-01-31"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Rail transport2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20010131.7.3-166"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2001-01-31-Speech-3-1672
lpv:speaker	lp:Christopher Beazley2
lpv:spoken text	"Mr President, Mr Jarzembowski observes in his explanatory statement that we have to strengthen rail transport, to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of railways in order to reverse the downward trend of their share in the market in the last 15 years. He observes that little progress has been made by the Member States in implementing the separation of the rail service operations from those of infrastructure management and we do not see in most countries any effective opening-up of the rail market. In the United Kingdom considerable credit could well be paid to the former Conservative government for effecting just that, a policy which has been continued by the current Labour government. However, last October the Hatfield train crash took place in Hertfordshire, part of the eastern region which I represent in this Parliament. Four people lost their lives and many were seriously injured. The accident took place on a bend with the train travelling at 115 mph. It appears that the infrastructure authorities were aware of the fracturing of the rail as early as November 1999 and a further report was made in January of last year. No remedial action was taken. The British transport minister, Lord McDonald, has announced there will be no be no public inquiry. However, named members of Railtrack, the infrastructure company, and of Balfour Beatty possibly face manslaughter charges as a result of this accident. I turn to the Commissioner, who I am sure is aware of the details of this particular accident, which I would point out is not unique within the European Union, and I would hope that she would be able perhaps to dwell on the consequences of the crash. In the United Kingdom there has been chaos on our railways, there has been plummeting customer confidence in the rail system, remedial work has caused huge financial investment and Railtrack has threatened a delay in work on the Euro Channel Tunnel Phase II programme which is very much part of the integrated European rail system that we all support. I very much hope that the Commissioner may be able to give some support to the relevant authorities in the United Kingdom. This is not merely a domestic issue. It has European ramifications as far as the Channel Tunnel work is concerned. It may well be that additional support can be given through the TENs programme and I look forward to my discussions with the Commissioner on this extremely serious development."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Delegation to the EU-Slovenia Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-08--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Conservative and Unionist Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; AFCO (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Delegation to the EU-Estonia Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-06--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; EPP-ED (1999-07-20--2002-03-07)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Beazley (PPE-DE )."1

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