Supporting open-access rail operators during the covid-19 outbreak

That this House notes that, unlike the franchised train operating companies, the UK’s open-access rail operators, including Hull Trains and Grand Central, have received no financial support package from the Government; further notes that passenger footfall and revenue across the railways remains below pre-covid 19 outbreak levels; is concerned that as a result of the covid-19 outbreak, Grand Central has announced the closure of its North West Project and commenced a restructure which puts a number of posts at risk of redundancy; and calls on the Government to agree a support package as a matter of urgency for open-access rail operators to enable those operators to continue to operate and to protect the jobs and conditions of all their staff.