Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has held with freight operating companies on the transfer of freight services from the Great Eastern Main Line to the Nuneaton to Felixstowe line.

The Department has not held direct discussions with the freight operating companies on this, as freight routeing is a matter for Network Rail, within the regulatory framework overseen by the Office of Rail Regulation. There are no current proposals to transfer all freight services from the Great Eastern Main Line to the Felixstowe to Nuneaton route; rather, the upgrading of the route from Felixstowe to Nuneaton is currently principally aimed at accommodating the anticipated growth in rail freight to and from the Port of Felixstowe.