Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the capability of Network Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway to complete the scheduled work programme on the Brighton Mainline in October 2018 and February 2019.

The Government is committed to a £300m programme of works to improve asset performance on the Brighton Mainline and Thameslink routes, following my announcement in January 2017. Both Network Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway plan for significant improvement works on the Brighton Mainline in October 2018 and February 2019. The works in October 2018 and February 2019 will need to go through a number of industry readiness assessments and I and the Department have and will continue to challenge the rail industry to ensure the plans, and alternate travel arrangements for passengers, are appropriately robust.