asked the Minister of Transport what are the results of the consultations he is having with the London Transport Board with a view to the reopening of the Tube service from New Cross to Hammersmith.

I am having no consultations with London Transport on this subject. Such a suggestion would be entirely one of management for London Transport to consider.

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider this? Is he aware that this line served a very useful purpose in enabling people from south-east London to travel to west London before the war? It was closed at the outbreak of war and there seems no reason why it should not be reopened. Would not this make a valuable contribution towards getting people off the roads?

It is not a question of my looking at this again. This is a matter for the London Transport Executive. It tells me that the direct line from New Cross to Hammersmith, via St. Mary's Junction, was closed in 1936 due to the need to route the direct trains through to the Barking line, where traffic was steadily increasing, and that there is no spare capacity to permit the running of through trains to New Cross. I have no doubt that the London Transport Executive will see this exchange of views and will take note of the hon. Member's Question.