Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help increase the capacity of passenger rail services on the Lytham to Preston rail line.

The department expects operators to match capacity and frequency of their services to demand, which can mean increased service frequency where that is the right response - although these must also be operationally sustainable and deliver value for taxpayers.

Northern is currently in discussions with train manufacturers over its plans to procure up to 450 new trains to replace the oldest trains in its current fleet. Approximately two thirds of the existing fleet is targeted to be replaced in the next 10 years. The new trains, the first of which are scheduled to enter service in 2030, will be cleaner and greener and will also deliver additional capacity on busy lines like Lytham-Preston.