Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of removing train guards from trains for disabled passengers who use the railways.

Trains have operated safely in the UK for many years as Driver Only Operation, and the Office of Rail and Road as the independent regulator has approved this approach. The proposed reforms, including to station roles, intend to provide greater flexibility for operators to deploy staff in multiskilled customer-facing roles, able to deliver more assistance for disabled passengers and those with additional needs where and when it is most needed. The Secretary of State takes his duty to consider equality issues when forming policy, in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010, very seriously. Due regard on equalities impacts is being given accordingly.