Contemporary context
Important transport schemes still come before Parliament as Hybrid Bills (bills with a public purpose but affecting some private interests), and are examined by a select committee.
Recent examples include the Channel Tunnel Bill of 1986–87 (that went on to become the Channel Tunnel Act 1987) and the Crossrail Bill of 2005–08 (later the Crossrail Act 2008). In the latter case, the Commons Committee heard evidence on 205 petitions over 84 days of hearings and made significant changes to the Bill.
The High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill is currently making its way through Parliament.
In this way Members of Parliament continue to immerse themselves in the merits of transport improvements and help to determine their form, as they have been doing since medieval times.
Page last updated September 2016.