Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2022 to Question 83686, on Southeastern Trains: Timetables, whether any other rail operators have been issued with a formal derogation against the requirement to consult in relation to the December 2022 timetable changes.

Operators have been working at pace to respond to changing passenger travel patterns since the pandemic, as it is crucial that the industry stays alert to fluctuations in demand and responds accordingly. While demand patterns remain unstable and operators need to remain agile in responding to changes, it is not possible to offer meaningful consultations.

Where operators do not have sufficient certainty, they may request a derogation from the requirement to consult. One operator requested a formal derogation from the requirement to consult and was granted it.