Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Govia Thameslink Railway on restoring rail services to pre-pandemic levels, especially during peak hours, to and from (a) Carshalton, (b) Carshalton Beeches, (c) Hackbridge and (d) Wallington stations.

The level of peak services at these four stations is broadly similar to that offered in the December 2019 timetable (the most recent timetable not affected by the pandemic). Services are operated by Thameslink and Southern, and both are continuing to work collaboratively with Network Rail and across the industry to improve the punctuality and reliability of services.

As COVID-related restrictions have eased, the industry is adjusting service levels across the country. In line with the Department’s objectives, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Thameslink and Southern services, is focusing on providing more capacity for commuters returning to the workplace. Its 15 May 2022 timetable change increases the frequency of weekday services where there was significant unmet demand. GTR aims to use its trains as efficiently as possible and reduce overlap where an alternative service exists. Across the GTR network, passenger numbers are approximately 70% of pre-pandemic levels.