To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2009, Official Report, column 294W, on c2c, if he will (a) agree and (b) publish a timetable for re-letting the c2c franchise. (279411)

The current London, Tilbury and Southend Franchise, operated by c2c, ends in May 2011. The Department for Transport's usual franchise replacement process takes between 18 and 24 months to complete. Initial work on the franchise specification will begin later this year and a timetable published when appropriate.