Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what improvements to Coastway East and the Brighton-Ashford Line have been proposed in the TSGN franchise to improve services between Brighton and Ashford International; and if he will make a statement.

The new TSGN franchise will begin 14 September this year (2014) and is vital to the delivery of the government's multi-billion pound investment in rail services in the South East of England through the Thameslink Programme. The franchisee will have to meet stretching targets for performance and customer satisfaction, which are linked to financial incentives.

A number of improvements have been secured in the contract, including for passengers on the East Coastway Line. The route will see improvements in services from December 2015 when new timetables are planned. These will reduce journey times between Hastings / Eastbourne / Lewes and central London on some off-peak services by about 5 minutes.

Passengers will also benefit from the retention of through services between Brighton and Ashford International and the retention of staffing from the first train in the morning to the last train at night at all stations where it is currently available. This first to last staffing will be extended to 4 further stations (Bexhill, Falmer, Portslade, Shoreham-on-Sea) during the new contract.