Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to rail services for residents of Torridge and West Devon constituency.

My Department has not undertaken an assessment of the adequacy of access to rail services for residents of Torridge and West Devon. Those residents are likely to benefit from the reintroduction of rail services between Exeter and Okehampton to be funded by the Government as a Restoring Your Railway initiative. I understand the Rt. Hon. Member has sponsored three bids for the third round of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund, the outcome of which will be announced in the summer.