Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the reliability and punctuality of train services in the South West.

The Government will continue the current record level of funding, with around £48 billion to be spent on the network in the period from 2019 to 2024, which will support more maintenance and a huge uplift in renewals to increase reliability and punctuality for passengers.

We are also delivering the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century, and the Department, working alongside Network Rail and other industry partners, are committed to investing and enhancing the railway so that we have a modern, reliable and punctual railway fit for the future.

In relation to services in the Great Western franchise area specifically, new Intercity Express Trains are already replacing older High Speed Trains and 2 January saw the introduction of electric trains to Didcot, which will enable additional diesel trains to move to the West and South West of England.