Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will take steps to ensure that financial sustainability at Great British Railways will help lead to increases in passenger numbers on the rail network.

The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail seeks to reduce inefficiency and maximise opportunities for both short and long-term cost reductions to our railways. This will help to embed financial sustainability and intensify greater efficiency now and in the long term as our new rail body, Great British Railways (GBR), is established. This will play an essential role in making rail more affordable for passengers and supporting economic recovery.

New Passenger Service Contracts will focus on improving the passenger experience, and as the guiding mind at the centre of the new, customer-focused system, GBR will put the needs of rail users at the heart of everything thing it does to draw people back to rail and grow usage of the network.