Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, what steps they are taking to ensure the continued operation of open-access passenger operators following the reduction in the number of rail passengers as a result of COVID-19; whether such steps include financial support to such operators; and if so, how much funding they intend to provide.
The Government fully understands that open-access passenger operators are suffering from significant financial pressures as a result in the decline of passenger numbers in recent weeks. The Government has already made available a wide range of substantial measures to support businesses across the economy. The Government is continuing to actively engage with open-access passenger operators on the specifics of their situations.