Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their guidance published on 5 March regarding Eurotunnel obligations, whether similar resilience measures will be implemented for rail freight as for road freight.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Eurotunnel must commit expenditure on the fixed link and the immediate surrounding environment, including Dollands Moor rail freight yard. Eurotunnel has flexibility to determine which specific projects to invest in, providing those projects comply with the obligations the Government published on 5 March, and may invest in both rail and road freight resilience. The details have been posted online here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eurotunnel-obligations-under-government-settlement-agreement/eurotunnel-obligations-under-government-settlement-agreement

A number of cross-Government working groups have been established to consider the impacts on imports into the UK after EU Exit, including steering groups with rail freight operators and terminal operators to support resilience. We have been in ongoing dialogue with these stakeholders throughout our EU Exit planning to assist their preparations.