Rail: Great Western Passenger Franchise

Lord Rosser Excerpts

Tuesday 31st January 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Rosser]

My Lords, an issue raised by train operators is that, as the noble Lord, Lord Bradshaw, said, if they want to increase rolling stock capacity to meet extra demand, they have to secure the approval of the Department for Transport either to use existing rolling stock more intensively or to lease additional rolling stock from the leasing companies. The approval of the Department for Transport is also required before train operators can speed up scheduled services following improvements to the infrastructure. Will the Government make provision in the new Great Western passenger franchise and in existing and other new franchises to enable the train operator to make such changes in future, subject to the other terms of the franchise remaining the same, without having to go through the, at times, time-consuming and lengthy procedure for obtaining prior approval from the Department for Transport?

[Earl Attlee]

I think that the noble Lord broadly describes some of the difficulties of franchising. We will have to see what the result of the consultation is.