Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rail Usage

Thursday 8 June 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Contractual incentives for train operators include fees linked to punctuality, reliability, service quality, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth.
  • The Department is enthusiastic about open access services and aims to promote competition and innovation in the rail market.
  • The Minister is open to sharing knowledge and best practices with Translink and the Northern Ireland Assembly to encourage rail usage.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Jones Con
Transport
Context

The MP asks about contractual incentives to increase rail usage.

Question

What contractual incentives has the Department agreed with train operating companies to encourage more people to use rail services?

Answer from Huw Merriman

Under current contracts, operators earn a fee linked to performance on punctuality, reliability, service quality, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth. The Department is looking to introduce stronger incentives for growing rail patronage under the new passenger service contract development.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not specify concrete contractual incentives or a timeline for implementation.

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Q2 Andrew Jones Con
Business & Trade
Context

The MP inquires about the Department's stance and plans to promote open access rail services.

Question

My hon. Friend knows my enthusiasm for open access services which bring competition and innovation, benefiting customers by raising standards. Does he share this enthusiasm? How will he be promoting these services?

Answer from Huw Merriman

The Secretary of State and I share the hon. Friend's enthusiasm for open access services, which were authorised at the end of last year with Grand Union Trains running between London and Carmarthen. The Department is committed to getting more operators into this market.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer lacks specific measures or timelines for promoting open access services beyond mentioning the authorization of a new operator.

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Q3 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Transport Northern Ireland
Context

The MP seeks information on how the Department can collaborate with Translink and the Northern Ireland Assembly to promote greater use of rail services.

Question

Encouraging more people to use rail services is about accessibility, availability, and park-and-ride schemes. Has there been any opportunity to share knowledge with Translink and the Northern Ireland Assembly?

Answer from Huw Merriman

While these matters are devolved, I am keen to learn from best practice and ensure all parts of the UK can learn from each other. Meeting the hon. Gentleman for discussion would be ideal and visiting operators in Northern Ireland could help.

Not addressed: The response does not provide concrete plans or actions for sharing practices with Translink or the Northern Ireland Assembly, instead suggesting meetings without specific commitments.

How: Suggestions Of Future Discussions

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