Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of Northern Rail on the (a) efficacy and (b) practical workings of its Accessible Travel Policy including the policy of arranging alternative transport when a customer cannot access a platform.

There is robust and locally-based periodic and day-to-day management of the Northern Trains Limited contract, through the Rail North Partnership, including in the area of Accessibility.