Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2019 to Question 246956 on Transport: Stoke-on-Trent, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the frequency of daily train services between Stoke-on-Trent and London.

The West Coast Partnership is due to be awarded shortly and as per the ITT, the current Inter City West Coast service between London Euston and Stoke on Trent has been protected as a minimum requirement.

The incoming franchisee will also be responsible for the implementation of a timetable recast associated with the introduction of HS2 services, which will involve consultation with relevant stakeholders for the provision of future services.

There is no change to the overall number of direct LNR trains between Stoke-on-Trent and London Euston in the forthcoming timetable change from 20 May 2019.