Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing hydrogen-powered trains.

In our Transport Decarbonisation Plan, we have committed to delivering a net zero rail network by 2050, with sustained carbon reductions in rail along the way. To help deliver the government’s net zero commitment, we will electrify most of the network and deploy battery and hydrogen trains on some lines, where it makes economic and operational sense.

The government is supporting the development of battery and hydrogen technology in rail through innovation funding and research. The outcome of this research will inform any assessment of the relevant merits of hydrogen, battery and electrification on the railway. Since the start of 2019, the Department has provided just over £4m of funding through Innovate UK-run First of a Kind competitions for new traction technologies that will help decarbonise the railway. This includes £750,000 to facilitate trials of the UK’s first hydrogen-powered train, HydroFLEX, which was showcased at COP 26.

In addition, Great Western Railway has signed a deal that will see the UK’s first battery-only train enter scheduled passenger service. The trial is supported by £2.15m funding from the Department for Transport's Rail Network Enhancement pipeline (RNEP).