Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter sent to him by the TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes, dated 14 January 2022, if it is the policy of his Department to seek £2 billion reduction in the operating costs of the railways.
As a result of reducing passenger numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020-21, Train Operating Companies across the UK received an overall subsidy of £10.1bn from Government, an 832% increase on 2019-20. This ensured the rail industry continued to deliver services to the public during this difficult period, with no job losses or furloughing of the workforce. Overall, from the start of the pandemic to the end of this financial year, Government has committed to more than £14bn of funding for passenger services for the train operating companies for which it is responsible. The continued use of significant taxpayer money to support the rail industry is not sustainable in the long term and the industry has a responsibility to consider how it manages its operating costs.