Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he made an assessment of the potential impact of the guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission entitled Technical Guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty: England, updated in February 2021, on his decision to grant a derogation to Southeastern to cut trains on the (a) Bexleyheath and (b) Sidcup Line in the timetable implemented on 11 December 2022; and if he will make a statement.

Southeastern undertook an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) ahead of the changes it made to its timetable on 11 December 2022 including those affecting services on the Bexleyheath and Sidcup lines. The Department granted Southeastern a derogation against the requirement to consult on the timetable changes on 5 August 2022.