Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage commuters to give up their seats to the elderly and differently able.

This remains an operational matter for public transport operators to decide on.　 There are already good practice examples within the industry such as Southern’s Priority Seat Card which can be shown to fellow passengers who are sitting in a priority seat. This will indicate that the passenger using the card has been recognised by Southern as needing a priority seat. The Government is keen to encourage further uptake of these schemes. It remains the responsibility of train operators and their staff to assist priority passengers to obtain a seat and direct other passengers occupying seats accordingly.