Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their call for ideas for market-led proposals for rail projects published on 20 March, how they intend to (1) evaluate, (2) choose, and (3) support any proposals submitted; and what is the timescale for the process.

The market-led proposals guidance published alongside the call for ideas sets out the evaluation criteria the department will use in assessing proposals. This call for ideas is for proposals that are financially credible without government support.

The guidance indicates what sort of support credible proposals might expect from the department. The level of support is commensurate to the maturity of the scheme and could include public statements of support, departmental resources and sponsorship, and planning or parliamentary guidance.

The Department for Transport has committed to responding to proposals in the autumn.