Found: concerning pre-appointment hearings for the chair of the Passenger Watchdog being created via the Railways Bill

Found: Letter from the Minister for Rail, Department for Transport relating to the Railways Bill: publication

Found: Chair of the Transport Select Committee House of Commons London SW1A 0AA As you know, the Railways Bill

Found: supported through the Bus Services Act, which I was pleased to lead through Parliament, and the Railways Bill

Found: Government’s decision not to pursue the recommendation of the Transport Committee in its report on the Railways Bill

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with Ofcom about the UK's position on satellite spectrum rules prior to the International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 and associated working party meetings.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The establishment of Great British Railways is a major programme bringing together more than 17 organisations. Detailed design and implementation work is continuing alongside setting up GBR's financial, regulatory and operational frameworks as the Railways Bill continues its passage through Parliament.

The contract referred to provides specialist support to the Department as this work progresses. The programme is being delivered through a phased approach designed to manage implementation risk while protecting the safe and reliable operation of the railway.

We are planning to establish GBR by the end of 2027. More details on GBR establishment timings will be provided this Autumn.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is her policy that local rail services integrated into Greater Manchester’s Bee Network will be operated by Great British Railways.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government and rail industry is working closely in partnership with Greater Manchester to support the integration of local rail into the Bee Network. Services will be operated by Great British Railways (GBR). We are in the early stages of developing a pathfinder local commissioning partnership with Greater Manchester, under which the Mayor could directly fund and specify local GBR services.

This is distinct from full devolution of rail services. The Railways Bill retains measures enabling further devolution of rail services where there is a strong case. The English Rail Devolution Applications Guidance, published in December last year, sets out the process for MSAs to request further devolution of rail services, stations or infrastructure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department spent on interpreters and related translation services in 2025.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department spent £164k on translation and interpretation services in 2025 (this covers the period from 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025). The majority of this spend related to translating Railways Bill documents into Welsh and British Sign Language and spend on security and Ukraine-related work.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to preserve the duration and substantive operating rights of existing open-access agreements during the transition to Great British Railways; and in what circumstances they envisage departing from that approach.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government intends to preserve both the duration and the substantive Schedule 5 access rights contained in existing contracts through the transition to Great British Railways (GBR). The power at Clause 71 is not intended to revisit, reduce or extinguish those rights; rather, it is intended to ensure they continue to have practical effect within the new regime. That commitment was introduced in the Government's consultation on the Railways Bill, confirmed in the formal response, and reiterated throughout passage in both Houses. We do not envisage departing from that approach, recognising its importance for operators and for maintaining investor confidence in rolling stock and wider rail supply chains. Accordingly, no adverse impact on rolling stock investment or wider investor confidence is anticipated.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of uncertainty over future track access rights on rolling stock investment by open-access operators, including orders supporting employment at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe manufacturing facility and its supply chain.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government intends to preserve both the duration and the substantive Schedule 5 access rights contained in existing contracts through the transition to Great British Railways (GBR). The power at Clause 71 is not intended to revisit, reduce or extinguish those rights; rather, it is intended to ensure they continue to have practical effect within the new regime. That commitment was introduced in the Government's consultation on the Railways Bill, confirmed in the formal response, and reiterated throughout passage in both Houses. We do not envisage departing from that approach, recognising its importance for operators and for maintaining investor confidence in rolling stock and wider rail supply chains. Accordingly, no adverse impact on rolling stock investment or wider investor confidence is anticipated.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for investor confidence in the United Kingdom of the powers under clause 71 of the Railways Bill to amend or terminate existing access agreements.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Government intends to preserve both the duration and the substantive Schedule 5 access rights contained in existing contracts through the transition to Great British Railways (GBR). The power at Clause 71 is not intended to revisit, reduce or extinguish those rights; rather, it is intended to ensure they continue to have practical effect within the new regime. That commitment was introduced in the Government's consultation on the Railways Bill, confirmed in the formal response, and reiterated throughout passage in both Houses. We do not envisage departing from that approach, recognising its importance for operators and for maintaining investor confidence in rolling stock and wider rail supply chains. Accordingly, no adverse impact on rolling stock investment or wider investor confidence is anticipated.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve regional public transport connectivity.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The ‘Better Connected’ strategy sets out this government’s long-term vision for making transport work well for more people across England, recognising that passengers want simple, reliable and joined-up journeys and recognising the role of local leaders in delivering transport networks that meet the neds of their communities.

The department is also giving greater flexibility to local areas by providing £21bn of consolidated local transport funding over the spending review period to all local transport authorities, so they can make the strategic decisions that best impact their local areas. Government continues to provide significant investment for major transport projects to improve regional connectivity, including £11bn to upgrade the route between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York, laying the foundations for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

We are improving public transport connectivity by implementing the Bus Services Act 2025 which gives local leaders greater powers to determine how bus services are planned and delivered in their areas, alongside funding to support them and bus operators to improve bus services, helping local areas deliver more frequent, reliable and better integrated public transport networks.

On rail, the Railways Bill underpins the move towards a more locally focused railway, creating the statutory basis for structured partnerships with mayors to enable collaboration on local rail and wider transport priorities. This will mean that mayors are able to clearly outline the passenger service needs for their area and improve integration with other modes.

We have also published new Local Transport Plan guidance which requires local transport authorities to consider integrated ticketing and wider network connectivity when planning local services.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to the No10 press release entitled PM meets mayors in drive to get Britain building and take on blockers, of 3 June 2026, what steps she is taking to ensure that commuter and suburban train services outside Greater London are not downgraded.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to improving rail services for passengers across the country and requires operators to plan services and timetables that are designed to meet expected passenger demand and provide value for money for the taxpayer. The Railways Bill will create a more locally focused railway, ensuring that Mayoral Strategic Authorities are consulted by Great British Railways (GBR), can form partnerships with GBR, and that GBR has regard to their Local Transport Plans.

Establishing GBR as the single directing mind gives us the opportunity to go further with optimising train services and driving up utilisation. In doing so, GBR will be subject to statutory duties, including a duty to promote the interests of users and potential users of railway passenger services. The closures regime under the Railways Act 2005 will also remain in place, preventing lines or stations from undergoing full closure without due process, including roles for the Secretary of State, Office of Rail and Road, and Scottish and Welsh Ministers where relevant over these important decisions.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of rail fare on commuters who rely on unregulated advance fares.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Advance fares are not regulated by the Government and are managed on a commercial basis by train operators. They are priced according to demand for a particular service and can provide savings for passengers who are able to commit to a specific train, although their price and availability vary by route, service and time of booking.

The Government recognises that affordability is vital. The Railways Bill sets out a new framework which includes a role for the Transport Secretary to ensure that fares are set to balance passenger affordability with taxpayer value. Through Great British Railways, the Government is taking steps to simplify fares and ticketing and deliver a more consistent offer across the network.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve accessible transport options for disabled people in rural and coastal communities.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government wants everyone to have access to public transport and is committed to improving the system, so it is more inclusive and enables disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. We recognise the particular importance of accessible transport in rural and coastal communities, where disabled people can face additional barriers to making the journeys they want and need.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops; mandating disability awareness and assistance training for bus drivers and passenger-facing staff; and requiring local transport authorities to assess their bus networks and publish Bus Network Accessibility Plans. These plans will support authorities to take a holistic view of how well local bus networks meet the needs of disabled people and identify where improvements are needed.

We recognise that taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) provide a vital door-to-door service for disabled people, including in rural and coastal communities where other transport options may be limited. The Department is continuing to consider, holistically, how the regulation of taxis and PHVs could be reformed. We will be bringing forward a draft taxi and PHV bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. This will set out, amongst other measures, how we intend to deliver more accessible services for disabled passengers, by strengthening existing protections and removing barriers to travel.

We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers on rail services and that is why we published the Department’s roadmap to an accessible railway alongside the Railways Bill. It sets out what we are doing now to improve the day-to-day travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to Great British Railways being established.

The Railways Bill will also establish a Passenger Watchdog, protecting the rights of disabled passengers by setting consumer standards including on accessibility, monitoring passenger experience and service delivery, investigating persistent issues, and advocating for improvements. We are also continuing to install accessible routes at stations through our Access for All programme and have completed a programme to install platform edge safety tactiles on every platform in the country.

We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and support greater consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers, including in rural and coastal communities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of bus service reliability on access to employment and education opportunities; and what steps is her Department is taking to strengthen public transport connectivity for communities including the Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We know that convenient, reliable and affordable transport is essential for giving people the access to education, training and employment that they need to succeed. We are providing significant investment to improve local transport across England and are reforming public transport through the Railways Bill and the Bus Services Act 2025. This includes protections from bus routes being scrapped at short notice.

Gloucestershire County Council has been allocated £25.2 million from 2026/27 to 2028/29 in Local Authority Bus Grant funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability.

Found: In 2025, DfT introduced the Railways Bill in Parliament, which aims to refocus the sector on providing

Found: integration of train and track operations and driving industry readiness for transition, as the Railways Bill

Found: integration of train and track operations and driving industry readiness for transition, as the Railways Bill

Found: The Railways Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, will lead to the establishment of Great

Found: The Railways Bill, which establishes Great British Railways, begins its committee stage in the House

Found: The Railways Bill, which is currently before Parliament, provides for the Transport Secretary to set

Found: Railways Bill

Found: Railways Bill

Found: make a scheme for determining the charges which are to be paid to the CAA and c lause 14 of the Railways Bill

Found: make a scheme for determining the charges which are to be paid to the CAA and clause 14 of the Railways Bill

Found: of the LTRS 22 Long-Term Rail Strategy House of Lords Briefing Paper 4 As set out in the Railways Bill

Found: It has been developed to align with the passage of the Railways Bill through the House of Lords.

Found: Part 1: What is the overall proposed structure of the LTRS As set out in the Railways Bill factsheet

Found: It has been developed to align with the passage of the Railways Bill through the House of Lords.

Found: "govuk-table__cell">Trainline

Found: infrastructure and maintenance planning, bringing the benefits of the integration established by the Railways Bill

Found: infrastructure and maintenance planning, bringing the benefits of the integration established by the Railways Bill

Found: Establishing Great British Railways The Railways Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 November

Found: Establishing Great British Railways The Railways Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 November

Found: integration of train and track operations and driving industry readiness for transition, as the Railways Bill

Found: The Railways Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, will lead to the establishment of Great

Found: infrastructure and maintenance planning, bringing the benefits of the integration established by the Railways Bill

Found: infrastructure and maintenance planning, bringing the benefits of the integration established by the Railways Bill

Found: Establishing Great British Railways The Railways Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 November

Found: Establishing Great British Railways The Railways Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 November

Found: 102026 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Baroness Morgan of Coates regarding issues raised in the Railways Bill

Found: 102026 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Baroness Morgan of Coates regarding issues raised in the Railways Bill

Found: Berkeley regarding Wi-Fi implementation, as discussed during the Committee stage (third day) of the Railways Bill

Found: Government's view on GBR's functions, as discussed during the Committee stage (third day) of the Railways Bill

Found: Richmond Hill to Lord Moylan, Lord Harper and Lord Lansley regarding points raised during the Railways Bill

Found: Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026 Tuesday 10 March 2026 Railways Bill

Found: • The Railways Bill also provides for greater accountability of rail infrastructure, for those areas

Found: • The Railways Bill also provides for greater accountability of rail infrastructure, for those areas

Found: • The Railways Bill also provides for greater accountability of rail infrastructure, for those areas

Found: • The Railways Bill also provides for greater accountability of rail infrastructure, for those areas

Found: Britain's railways are undergoing major reform with the Railways Bill going through Parliament and the

Found: its plans to create Great British Railways, a publicly owned and integrated railway, via the Railways Bill

Found: Public Office (Accountability) Bill, Representation of the People Bill, Sporting Events Bill, Railways Bill

Found: Public Office (Accountability) Bill, Representation of the People Bill, Sporting Events Bill, Railways Bill

Found: • Supporting Welsh Government in engagement with the UK Government regarding the Railways Bill and