Rail Minister and Operator of Last Resort bosses quizzed by Transport Committee
The Minister for Rail and rail chiefs charged with running TransPennine Express, as well as three other franchises, will be questioned by the Transport Committee on their progress in improving services and their wider role.
DfT OLR Holdings Limited (DOHL) is the government’s public sector owning group that acts as the operator of last resort for train services in England. It is owned by and reports to the Secretary of State.
DOHL was placed in charge of the TransPennine Express (TPE) franchise in May 2023 following the Secretary of State’s decision not to extend First Group’s contract. This followed long running concerns about punctuality and cancellations.
Meeting details
Likely areas of questioning
The witnesses will be asked about how DOHL operates, its working relationship with DfT and how it prepares to take on additional responsibilities.
There may also be questions about the Department’s plans for the services managed by DOHL, for example if and when they could be returned to the private sector, and how DOHL might operate alongside Great British Railways.
TPE was the fourth franchise since 2018 to be transferred to the operator of last resort following InterCity East Coast (LNER), Northern and South Eastern.