§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the basis for the passenger service requirements; and how long his Department has been researching passenger service requirements as a way of improving the rail system. [17369]
§ Mr. WattsThe guidance issued to the franchising director by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport requires him to ensure that passenger service requirements for the first franchises are based upon the timetable being operated by BR immediately prior to franchising. A copy of an explanatory note setting out the franchising director's approach to, and criteria for, setting these passenger service requirements has been placed in the Library of the House.
The White Paper "New Opportunities for the Railways:the Privatisation of British Rail"—July 1992, CM 2012—set out proposals for specifying service levels in franchise agreements as an important element in our plans for improving passenger services.