Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has assessed the potential impact on staff retention and recruitment for local bus operators of the ending of the reciprocal GTR staff rail pass.

It has been a difficult decision to end the discretionary bus travel benefits arrangements that have been in place for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) staff and one that has not been taken lightly. Travel arrangements with bus operators are not typically in scope for the Department’s rail Public Ownership Programme. Current reciprocal travel arrangements between Brighton & Hove and Metrobus and GTR are internal travel benefits provided by Go-Ahead Group. GTR’s successor public sector organisation, Thameslink Southern Great Northern Limited, will not be part of Go-Ahead Group.