Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve co-ordination on track renewal and train operations on the railways.

It is critical that train companies and Network Rail work effectively together to deliver the standard of service that passengers expect. The new South Eastern and East Midlands franchises will be run with much closer alignment between infrastructure and train services. We will continue to develop our approach as further franchises are renewed.