Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on its negotiations with East Midlands Trains on compensation payments as a result of peak-time trains not stopping at Bedford.

In the case of journeys from north of Bedford during the peaks when trains are not stopping at Bedford, East Midlands Trains has introduced a temporary 50% reduction for season ticket holders and there is also a 25% reduction on anytime fares for those passengers who are affected by the introduction of the rail replacement bus service for the duration of this operation. Passengers who have already bought a season ticket for travel to Bedford should contact CSC.manager@eastmidlandstrains.co.uk to arrange a partial refund. The discount will automatically be applied to tickets bought after 20th May 2018.

In the case of journeys between Bedford and London during the peaks, Thameslink are providing two fast services per hour to mitigate the loss of EMT services. These services come with an equivalent journey time to the fast EMT services which have been removed. Each of these services provide direct access to Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge.

This is a temporary arrangement whilst we deliver the biggest upgrade to the Midland Main Line since it was completed in 1870 and which will help deliver enhanced services from 2020.