Asked by: Chris Loder (Conservative - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has set targets for train operating companies to reduce operational costs for rail stations.
Answered by Huw Merriman
This is an industry-led process. The outcomes of the consultations will not be known until the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement process has been concluded.
Asked by: Chris Loder (Conservative - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the South Western Railway contract on customers.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The impact on customers is the primary consideration in the award of National Rail Contracts. Having considered all options available to us, this extension provides the best outcome for customers in the South West of England and provides a bridge towards future Passenger Service Contracts under GBR.
Asked by: Chris Loder (Conservative - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department plans to produce an Integrated Plan for Rail for the South West.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
There are currently no plans to produce an Integrated Plan for Rail for the South West.
However, the Government continues to support rail in the South West, as seen by the recent reopening of the Dartmoor Line from Exeter to Okehampton, and our investment of £120 million in the South West Rail Resilience Programme.
Asked by: Chris Loder (Conservative - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of train services on the Salisbury to Exeter line.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Department officials are challenging South Western Railway (SWR) over the performance of the West of England Line where performance has fallen below the standards required recently. The South Western Railway National Rail Contract contains provisions to incentivise the operator to ensure services are run to the agreed timetable and where this is not the case, actions be taken to rectify any causation factors.