Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with East Midlands Railway on improving the performance of services between Leicester and London St Pancras.

The Department recognises that the recent reliability of East Midlands Railway (EMR) services serving Leicester and the Midland Main Line has not been adequate. The Department, through DFTO, has been clear to EMR that the current service is unacceptable and is working closely with EMR and industry partners to urgently improve performance.

From 31 August 2026, EMR will increase its Intercity services from 87% to 92% of the full planned timetable, this represents a significant step towards restoring services for passengers. This improved timetable has been designed around the trains currently available and will restore a number of previously withdrawn services, while improving overall reliability and resilience. It is expected to reduce planned weekly cancellations across the Intercity route by approximately 45% compared with the temporary timetable introduced in July. The enhanced timetable will also increase capacity on EMR’s Intercity services from 81% to 84% of the full planned timetable.