Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assurances his Department will provide train operators over new routes as determined by the market-led proposals; and whether those assurances will be classified as Government support for the Department's budgetary purposes.

The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) and Guidance for Rail Market-Led Proposals set out clear decision points for proposed rail enhancements. There are procedures and mechanisms in place to protect train operators from the impacts of rail enhancements.