Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 25 July 2016 to Question 43366, for what reasons the requirements for services to be Driver Only Operation were (a) not redacted in the Invitation to Tender for the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) Franchise and (b) redacted on the GTR Franchise Agreement; if he will remove the redactions on the requirements for services to be Driver Only Operation on the GTR Franchise Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

The TSGN Invitation To Tender requirements for Driver Only Operation were not redacted as they were a stated requirement of the Department for all bidders. The requirements for Driver Only Operation were redacted from the TSGN Franchise Agreement on the grounds of commercial interests and they remain redacted on the same grounds.