Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with TransPennine Express on making a rest day working agreement with ASLEF.

The Secretary of State met the Managing Director of First Rail on 23 November to discuss the operator’s delivery issues. More generally, the Department through its Rail North Partnership with Transport for the North continues to have regular ongoing discussions with TPE, particularly on managing services in the face of prolonged national and local industrial action, including prospects for reinstating rest day working.