Written question asked by Joe Robertson (Conservative) on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 May 2026. It was answered by Simon Lightwood (Labour) on Friday, 22 May 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

British Transport Police: Finance

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2026 to Question 129535 on British Transport Police: Finance, whether the Department plans to absorb the £256.2 million currently recovered from Train Operating Companies through Police Service Agreements into the public finances as services transfer into public ownership under Great British Railways; and what estimate it has made of the impact on departmental expenditure.

Answer: As train operating companies move into public ownership, they will retain the requirement to enter into Police Service Agreements (PSAs) with the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), and we do not expect any changes to the funding mechanism for these. GBR will budget for PSAs with BTPA. BTPA allocates costs across operators via a cost allocation model that factors in frequency of trains, length of track, and other inputs. This cost allocation model will continue under GBR.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 875
Session: 2026-27
Related items: British Transport Police: Finance
Wednesday, 29 April 2026
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: British Transport Police Finance Great British Railways
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk