Found: I reflect on recent conversations that we have had, as a body, about the east coast main line timetable

Found: We have some important arteries in the east coast main line and the west coast main line.

Found: Both operators have also driven growth for all operators on the East Coast Main Line, while reducing

Found: The East Coast Main Line is now a mature open access test case where three OA operators (hopefully

Found: competition has compromised sound judgments. 4.7 A particularly egregious example is the situation on the East

Found: Our recent experience of the December 2024 East Coast Main Line timetable change exercise served to

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Gower on 13 May (HL4207), what impact the rigidity of the Network Code has had on the revision of train timetables on the East Coast Main Line; and what consideration they have given to instructing the parties, including the Office of Rail and Road, to revise the code to enable a satisfactory timetable to be delivered.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The industry steering group that oversees timetable introduction concluded that there were too many outstanding issues to have confidence that the new East Coast Main Line timetable can be delivered robustly in December 2024.

Timetable production and access rights issues are governed by Network Rail’s Network Code, which is regulated by the ORR as the independent regulator to the rail industry. We expect the rail industry to work through these issues in order to deliver the upgraded timetable and realise the benefits of £4bn investment in track and train on the East Coast Main Line.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the rail sector on timetable changes proposed for the East Coast Main Line.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

I met with the rail industry to discuss the delay to the upgrade timetable and how the improvements can be delivered as soon as possible.

I have made clear the importance of Network Rail continuing to develop a process for eventually delivering this timetable and realising the benefits of £4 billion investment in infrastructure and rolling stock on the route.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Gower on 29 April (HL3879), whether the latest announcement about the postponement of the introduction of an updated timetable for the East Coast Mainline Railway is due to the Office of Rail and Road's rigidity in agreeing access rights, which cannot be made flexible with the train operators' agreement.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Timetable production and access rights issues are governed by Network Rail’s Network Code, which is regulated by the Office of Rail and Road. We expect the rail industry to work through these issues in order to deliver the upgraded timetable and realise the benefits of £4bn investment in track and train.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the revised timetable for the East Coast Main Line will be delivered by December 2024.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We are disappointed with the deferment of the East Coast Main Line timetable upgrade which cannot be delivered robustly in December 2024.

The industry steering group that oversees timetable introduction concluded that there are too many outstanding issues to have confidence in the upgrade being ready in 2024.

It is important that Network Rail continues to develop a process for delivering the upgraded timetable and realising the benefits of £4 billion investment in track and train.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the new rail capacity created by the East Coast Main Line upgrade works will be allocated to open access rail services.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not specify the allocation of increased capacity. However, open access operators may apply to utilise available capacity alongside operators contracted by Government. It will then be a matter for Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road to decide through the established systems and processes how capacity should ultimately be allocated.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of East Coast Main Line intercity passenger services are delivered by open access operators.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Network Rail have confirmed that within the current timetable, published in December 2023, 8.92% of East Coast Main Line intercity passenger services are delivered by Open Access operators.

Found: vehicle access point (RRAP) which had been left on the track at Ponton Yard, near to Highdyke, on the East