Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase capacity on the West Coast Main Line north of Birmingham.

The Department recognises concerns about capacity on the West Coast Main Line north of Birmingham and are considering advice before setting out detailed plans in due course. The Department is evaluating possible interventions to improve capacity north of Birmingham, such as changes to timetabling and service patterns, as well as incremental improvements to infrastructure and rolling stock that could help to alleviate capacity shortfalls.