Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish a (a) transition plan for the transfer of retail responsibilities from train operating company retail websites to Great British Railways and (b) timetable for formal market (i) consultation and (ii) tendering for future Great British Railways retail ticketing.

Once Great British Railways is established, it will retail online by consolidating individual train operators’ ticket websites. This will take place alongside a thriving private sector retail market, which will continue to play a key role in driving innovation and investment and encouraging more people to choose rail.

The Railways Bill consultation took place in the Spring. As part of this process, the Government consulted closely with industry, the private sector, and wider stakeholders including in relation to the future of the rail retail market. A formal update will be provided in due course.