Found: DfT OLR Holdings, DfT OLR Holdings, TransPennine Express rail franchise, and Department for Transport

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number of carriages on the TransPennine express service which will be scrapped by April 2024.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department is not aware of any plans by rolling stock owners to scrap carriages currently on lease to TransPennine Trains. The operator plans to return 66 Mark 5A carriages, which are currently surplus to requirements, to their owner Beacon Rail Leasing.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the operator of last resort running the Transpennine Route will improve service reliability.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department’s Rail North Partnership with Transport for the North will provide its full support as TPE transitions across to the operator of last resort and in working to address the performance issues which have affected passengers. However, making these improvements will also require support from the rail unions. There is a fair and reasonable pay offer from industry on the table in exchange for much needed workforce reform and we urge striking unions to accept this and allow their members to have a say and to start putting passengers first. A similar offer was accepted at Network Rail, bringing an end to the industrial relations dispute.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Clause 2.2 (Additional Reporting Periods) on page 16 of the First TransPennine Express Limited 2021 rail contract, whether the Secretary of State gave notice to the Operator of a reporting period extension by 23.59 on the 4th March 2023.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Transpennine Express contract expires on 28 May 2023. No decision has yet been taken, all options remain on the table, and next steps will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his oral evidence before the Transport Select Committee, Q590 on 19 April 2023, what legal considerations are relevant that could prevent the Trans Pennine Express contract from expiring on 28 May 2023.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Any decision on the future operator of the TransPennine Express contract will be made in accordance with the Secretary of State’s published Section 26 Statement, which sets out the policy on the letting of passenger rail contracts.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to end the TransPennine Express contract in May 2023.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Every week I review the figures and performance related to TransPennine Express. It has been said before that those figures are not good enough; there has been some improvement, but they are still not good enough. As the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State have informed the House, the contract expires on 28 May 2023. We have made clear that all options are on the table and a decision will be announced in the House shortly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to end the Trans Pennine Express contract in May 2023.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department in partnership with Transport for the North will make an announcement in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he held discussions with TransPennine express on the extension of the First TransPennine Express Limited 2021 rail contract on the 8 February 2023.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

I am having weekly meetings with Rail North Partnership (RNP) officials to monitor TransPennine Express (TPE)’s performance and the Secretary of State and I met TPE’s managing director and the Managing Director of First Rail to discuss TPE’s service improvement plan.