Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer on 7 November 2022 of Question 80959 on train timetable changes, how many rail operators were granted derogations from the requirement to consult on train timetable changes in (a) 2020, (b) 2021, and (c) 2022.

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.