Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the transfer of South Western Railway services into public ownership, what progress they have made towards providing catering services on longer distance routes, such as London Waterloo to Exeter.

South-Western Railway (SWR) successfully transferred into public ownership on the 25 May 2025. The current priorities of SWR are to improve operational performance and introduce the new Class 701 fleet.

I have asked the new Managing Director of South-Western in due course to review catering on longer distance routes including the London Waterloo to Exeter service - any decision will be subject to a positive financial case which balances the need of passengers and taxpayers.