Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2026 to Question 4598 on Great British Railways, if Great British Railways will publish guidance setting out the criteria against which applications for open access passenger rail services will be assessed.

Yes. Clause 59 of the Railways Bill would require Great British Railways (GBR) to publish the criteria that it intends to apply when making decisions on applications to operate trains other than GBR passenger services, as part of its access and use policy. To ensure a smooth transition to the new access and charging framework under GBR, Network Rail System Operator (NRSO) is already leading a highly collaborative and transparent process to develop this important work. This includes publishing a Discussion Document last December that set out emerging thinking. A full draft of the access and use policy is due to be published by NRSO for consultation in the autumn.