Cross Country Franchise

Alison Seabeck
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the proposed new timetable for the cross country franchise will require the splitting up of any services.

Mr. Tom Harris
In order to offer faster journey times between Birmingham and Scotland, and to provide a more operationally robust timetable on the west coast main line, direct services which currently continue towards the southwest and Bournemouth from Scotland via Preston will terminate at Birmingham New Street. A new hourly through service will be introduced from Manchester to Bristol, removing the need for passengers to change trains, and from Manchester to Bournemouth, improving direct links between popular destinations in north-west and south-west England; an hourly direct service will operate between Scotland and south-west England via Leeds.