Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for announcing the successful bidder of the South Eastern Rail Franchise.

Following the decision to cancel the South Eastern Franchise competition, the Department is developing a solution to deliver benefits to passengers as quickly as possible. In the immediate term, the Department is considering the most appropriate route to contract the franchise after 1 April 2020. This could be in the form of either another Direct Award with the incumbent operator, or the transfer of the franchise to the Operator of Last Resort. A decision, that puts passengers interests first, will be made in March.