§ Ms ShortTo ask the Secretary of state for Transport what instructions he has given to the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising regarding the inter-availability of tickets between destinations where more than one route is available and services on these routes are provided by different train operating companies. [12844]
§ Mr. WattsParagraphs 29 of the objectives, instructions and guidance to the franchising director instruct the franchising director that
Where a railway passenger journey could be made using services operated by different franchisees you are to require the franchisees to offer tickets which are inter-available between their services where you believe the benefits of doing so will outweigh the likely benefits of price competition and service diversity".The franchising director will require inter-available tickets between the different operators on most routes, thereby essentially safeguarding the existing inter-availability of tickets for British Rail services on permitted routes. He will lift the requirement only if this would be in the interests of price competition and service diversity. While inter-availability is required, operators will be permitted to offer additional, non-inter-available tickets which trade flexibility for a cheaper price.