Select committee: Transport Committee
Recommendation 2
Eighth Report - Minimum service levels for rail
Published 22 Sep 2023
Paragraph 70
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee Minimum service levels for rail All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
At present, the lack of detail from the Department about what a minimum service level specification might look like is preventing stakeholders from being able to assess how it will affect them or those they represent. Once the Department has determined which model of minimum service level it plans to implement through regulations, it must consult on it. The Department should set out an implementation plan and consult with a wide group of stakeholders including unions, passengers and operators. The Department should also consider ways in which a set minimum service level for rail could be piloted.
From: Transport Committee, Eighth Report - Minimum service levels for rail (HC 1153), paragraph 70, 22 September 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 4 December 2023 (deadline 22 November 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says the Regulations currently before Parliament address all nine criteria the Committee recommended, and sets out its approach to minimum service levels (MSLs) for passenger rail.
- On service levels, it expects them to "exceed the overall service levels provided on previous strike days", and says the three MSL categories include 40% of timetabled services for train operation and light rail.
- On the Committee's suggestion that the department pilot MSLs, it states that the parent Act "does not include powers to undertake a pilot".
- It expects the Regulations, "subject to Parliamentary approval", to "come into force before the end of the year", so employers can issue work notices "should they choose to do so".
- On the Committee's three proposed success criteria, it "welcomes these suggested criteria and will carefully monitor the impact of MSLs".