Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mandatory requirements his Department places on train operating companies to conduct public consultations on reductions to services.

The Franchise Agreement specifies the minimum requirements for train operators to conduct public consultations on significant alterations to train services (which can be additions or reductions). These are usually aligned to timetable change dates in May and December each year and are associated with major changes to the Timetable, with length of consultation related to the nature of the complexity of any proposed changes. Major proposed changes to the permanent train service specification (and associated timetable) require longer periods for consultation with stakeholders (usually at least 12 weeks) and must include bodies statutorily defined within the Railways Act 2005, such as Transport Focus.

Temporary, short-term changes to the timetable, due to restrictions of use imposed by the need of Network Rail to undertake engineering work (planned and unplanned) to the rail network, are not subject to consultation requirements. However, the Franchise Agreement specifies requirements upon train operating companies to advise passengers of amended timetable information well in advance to enable them to plan their journeys accordingly.