Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 September 2020, HCWS460 on Rail Update, who is responsible for operational decisions and performance of the passenger rail network.

Responsibility for operational decisions and performance continues to rest with the train operating companies. As was noted in the Secretary of State’s statement of 21 September 2020, operators have been placed on far more demanding management agreements, with tougher performance targets and lower management fees. The fee paid by Government to the operators is partly dependent on performance, thus ensuring that operators are incentivised to maintain good performance.