Question
The last train from London to Newcastle tonight is at 11.08 pm, but the last train from London to Carlisle is at 7.30 pm. Now that the experiment with train privatisation is coming to an end, is it possibly time for a new experiment where the west coast gets the same level of service as the east coast?
Answer
Avanti West Coast is due to come into public ownership in March next year, and there is an opportunity to look again at the timetable over the course of the next few years. I recognise the importance of later services going direct to my hon. Friend’s constituency as well as to constituencies on the other side of the country.
Verdict: RED (15/100)
The reply does not directly engage with the comparison with East Coast services or make any firm commitment on the later London-to-Carlisle services. Its only forward-looking statement is that the timetable could be looked at again over the next few years, which is a non-committal possibility rather than an answer. Most of the reply is general context on public ownership and an acknowledgement of why later services matter. The person who asked would most likely need to submit a follow-up to get specific information.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government consider providing West Coast rail services, including later evening services from London to Carlisle, with the same level of service as the East Coast route? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply does not engage with the East Coast comparison or the later London-to-Carlisle services. Its only forward-looking content is that there is an opportunity to look again at the timetable over the next few years, which is a noncommittal consideration rather than a firm commitment. The public-ownership point is context, and the recognition of the importance of later services is an acknowledgement rather than an answer. |