South Western Railway proposed timetable changes

That this House acknowledges the new timetable proposed by South Western Railway, due to come into effect in December 2022; laments that the proposed timetable amounts to a significant reduction in services; notes that current passenger behaviour is not yet representative of post-pandemic demand for public transport; further notes the importance of ensuring that service levels reflect post-pandemic passenger demand; recognises that accepted housing developments in areas near to potentially impacted rail stations have been designed in accordance with pre-pandemic service levels; further recognises South West Railway’s analysis that leisure journeys will return to pre-pandemic levels; expresses concern that at this time of climate crisis, rail services are vital in reducing emissions from private vehicles; believes that announcements on proposed changes should be withheld to avoid incentivising commuters towards more polluting forms of transport; and calls on the Department for Transport to make the necessary interventions to protect heavily relied upon South Western Railway services.