Rail Timetabling

Debate between Baroness Sugg and Earl of Erroll

Monday 4th June 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sugg]

My Lords, I can certainly confirm that there have not been any conversations around that.

[The Earl of Erroll (CB)]

My Lords, my train was cancelled and the next one was delayed, which is why I have arrived here so late. I understand that part of the problem is drivers being assigned to sections of track, such as Peterborough to the London terminals. Apparently, it takes two and a half weeks to train up a driver. However, the drivers who can drive that section and then through to Horsham are busy driving the trains and therefore not available to train new drivers who could alleviate the problem. Are we looking at a month or two months with 75% of trains being cancelled in order to clear this training backlog?