Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the number of carriages on (a) Great Western Railway and (b) South Western Railway during the Christmas period on the delivery of those services.

Great Western Railway and South Western Railway are responsible for ensuring the train service they operate, including the number of carriages they deploy, is optimised to meet the needs of the passengers they serve. This is while also taking account of planned maintenance work. Officials have been working closely with all operators to review plans and ensure readiness ahead of the Christmas period.