Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Virgin Trains East Coast on the franchise commitment to run direct trains every two hours to London from Bradford, Middlesbrough and Lincoln from 2020; and if that commitment will still hold in the light of the early ending of the franchise agreement.

We are in discussions with Stagecoach to ensure the needs of passengers and taxpayers will be met in the short term whilst laying the foundations to bring forward the reforms in full under a long-term competitively procured contract.

We expect to provide additional services to Lincoln and Bradford from May 2019. It remains our intention to deliver additional services to Middlesbrough when capacity is available to do so. Virgin Trains East Coast has contingent rights to run services from London to Middlesbrough from May 2020 and firm rights from May 2021.

From 2020, we will introduce the East Coast Partnership - a regional partnership between the public and private sector, operated by a single management, under a single brand and under a single leader.