Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996

Financial matters

31Expenditure in connection with securing construction of works

(1)The Secretary of State may make payments under any agreement entered into by him for the purpose of securing the construction of—

(a)any of the works authorised by this Part of this Act, or

(b)any related works.

(2)For the purposes of this section, the following are related works—

(a)a station at Stratford, in the London Borough of Newham, for use in connection with the rail link, and

(b)a railway providing access between the rail link and the West Coast Main Line by means of a connection to the North London Line.

32Reserved capacity on the rail link: expenditure

(1)The Secretary of State may make payments to the nominated undertaker, or its nominee, in pursuance of an agreement for the payment, for such period as may be specified in the agreement, of such sum as may be so specified for the reservation of rights of use in relation to the rail link.

(2)The Secretary of State may make, to any person charged with responsibility in relation to the selection of persons to exercise rights of use in relation to the rail link which are reserved to the Secretary of State under an agreement with the nominated undertaker (“reserved rights of use”), such payments in respect of the discharge of that responsibility as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(3)The Secretary of State may give to any person exercising reserved rights of use such financial assistance in relation to the exercise of those rights as he thinks fit.

(4)Financial assistance under subsection (3) above shall be on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

33Undertakings with respect to financial assistance etc

(1)Any undertaking of the Secretary of State which—

(a)is given with respect to applications for assistance of a kind to which subsection (2) below applies, and

(b)is contained in a development agreement,

shall be effective notwithstanding that it fetters his discretion.

(2)This subsection applies to—

(a)any kind of financial or other assistance in relation to an existing railway line which might allow it to be used to provide a line speed in excess of 200 kilometres per hour before 31st December 2030, and

(b)any kind of financial or other assistance which before that date would enable or assist a person to provide services or facilities for international rail passenger services.