Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that railway timetabling takes account of the need for good connections between services run by different companies.

The Department requires franchised operators to cooperate with each other to ensure that overall, the needs of passengers are met. This includes a requirement to offer a reasonable pattern of service such that connections between services can be made. Where specific connections are identified as being particularly important, the Department may specify their inclusion in franchise bids. Where a connection is required, a balance needs to be struck between allowing sufficient time to change trains, including during delays and maintaining an acceptable end to end journey time.