Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assurances they intend to provide to open-access operators that existing access rights will remain sufficiently secure to support long-term investment in the purchase or leasing of trains.

We understand how important it is for Open Access operators to have the certainty to enable longer-term investment in rolling stock and their wider businesses. That is why Government has already committed, both in Parliament and in public consultation, to honouring all Schedule 5 access rights as set out in existing access contracts. We remain committed to this and continue to see an important role for Open Access in the future of the railway.