Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to include enhancements to infrastructure in future rail franchise bids; and if he will make a statement.

Whilst we currently have no such explicit plans, there is nothing to prevent bidders including infrastructure proposals that could provide passenger benefits or improved efficiencies in their franchise bid.

And as the Secretary of State recently announced, we are also setting out our plans for a new generation of regional rail partnerships between the public and private sector. When these plans are developed, we will bring them to the back to this House.

We will also be looking to see what lessons can be learnt in this area from the Welsh Government’s procurement which includes Core Valley Lines infrastructure.