Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the rescheduling of planned engineering works to facilitate the covid-19 travel window that was planned for 23 to 27 December 2020.

The Department worked closely with train operators to put in place robust contingency plans in anticipation of an increased number of passengers travelling during the Christmas period, including alternative travel arrangements, passenger communications, regular demand monitoring and plans to protect key services in the event of staff absence.

The Department took all necessary steps to ensure people could travel safely, including postponing the start of a small number of engineering works. Network Rail advise that the cost to taxpayers of postponing these works was minimal.