Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he made of the effect of the Government's decision to change the covid-19 restrictions on travel for Christmas 2020 on the number of train passengers travelling on Saturday 19 December 2020.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the railway has played a vital role in ensuring passengers can travel if required. Responding effectively to the challenges posed by this crisis meant that the government had to act urgently and make quick decisions, whilst retaining flexibility to respond to emerging information. Even before more stringent measures were implemented, the Chief Medical Officer urged people to avoid travelling unless essential, to limit the risks of transmission. Station staff were available throughout to help manage passenger movements.