Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the planning by train operating companies to ensure availability of conductors or guards on train services to mitigate against delays or cancellations of train services.

The Department monitors the effective delivery of train services by operators against the obligations in their franchise agreements, including those in relation to delays and cancellations. However, how operators plan to meet those obligations is an operational matter for them, and the Department does not specifically assess their plans for ensuring the availability of traincrew. I would note however that Driver Controlled Operation removes the frustration of trains being delayed or cancelled as a result of no guard being available because, for example, they have been delayed on another service.