Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the viability of private business proposals to build the Windsor link; and if he will make a statement.

In March this year we launched a call for ideas for market-led proposals to enhance the railway that are financially credible without government support. The department has now considered and responded confidentially to all proposals, amongst which included a Windsor link. We are now working with promoters whose proposals fell within the scope of this call for ideas to progress their schemes.