Written question asked by Neil Coyle (Labour) on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 (named day). It was answered by Keir Mather (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Railways

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with transport operators, including Eurostar, on the provision and availability of guidance for the carriage of specialist equipment, including musical instruments.

Answer: The carriage of specialist items like musical equipment is down to the discretion of transport operators. Most operators have information available on their websites regarding the provision and availability of services to carry specialist items, for example the National Rail Conditions of Travel (NRCOT) which are available on the National Rail Enquiries website states that musical instruments exceeding 30 x 70 x 90 cm are only permitted at the discretion of individual train companies.

Secondary information