Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any public consultation was conducted before his Department lowered performance targets for Thameslink for the 12 months to the end of March 2024.

The contractual performance targets are agreed with the train operators on an annual basis and do not involve consultation with external bodies.

Targets are proportionate to the level of investment agreed within the Business Plan budget for that year and may vary year on year.

These plans setting out service performance measures are scrutinised by Departmental officials to ensure the agreed level of investment represents the best value for money and customer service quality possible.