Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made with the deployment by Network Rail of the Hubble vegetation management tool since it was awarded First of a Kind funding by his Department through Innovate UK in 2019.

Hubble was funded and supported by Network Rail’s Anglia Route and trialled on its Southern Route. Other Network Rail routes are able to use Hubble or other technology solutions as appropriate.

Hubble was a recipient of First of a Kind (FOAK) funding from my Department. Funding under FOAK is not a guarantee that products will be taken into service. Network Rail and operators determine which products best meet their operational needs.