Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using tour operators' coaches to (a) increase public transport capacity and (b) reduce overcrowding on the national rail network.

The Department has been working closely with the transport sector to plan for an increase in passenger numbers, while facilitating social distancing where possible. Train operators have increased service levels to approximately 70 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels as of 18 May. We continue to work closely with the industry to identify and implement solutions that protect key passenger and freight flows.