All 2 Debates between Earl Attlee and Lord Brookman

Railways: Cardiff Valley Lines

Debate between Earl Attlee and Lord Brookman
Monday 28th March 2011

(13 years, 7 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, the noble Lord makes an important point. As I understand it, although there is a freight line to Newport, the signalling is not up to the required standards for passenger trains. Under the new signalling project, modern signalling has been provided for but not fitted. Specifying train services is a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government, so if they want to specify that there will be passenger train services from Ebbw Vale to Newport, they can do so.

Lord Brookman Portrait Lord Brookman
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I declare an interest as someone who was born in Ebbw Vale, an event that was followed by the Second World War. I recall the final march about the closure at Ebbw Vale—the noble Baroness, Lady Kinnock of Holyhead, and her dear husband were there and her remarks stay with me. Does the Minister agree that commuting from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff and subsequently, I hope, to Newport is of paramount importance for the people who live in that area, especially the young people, to get jobs?

Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely right. Most of the valley lines are going to be electrified for precisely the reason that he describes.

Roads: Cyclists

Debate between Earl Attlee and Lord Brookman
Wednesday 13th October 2010

(14 years ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, I fully understand where the noble and learned Baroness is coming from, but in 2009 no pedestrians were killed, 66 were seriously injured and 14,000 suffered slight injuries on our roads. This is a 21 per cent reduction on all pedestrian casualties hit by cyclists compared to the 1994-98 average.

Lord Brookman Portrait Lord Brookman
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Following on from the previous question, I recall that this House, in which there are a lot of new faces, had a solution: the noble Baronesses, Lady Sharples and Lady Trumpington. Give them the legislation, and they will sort the problem.