Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which sites were identified by Network Rail as its (a) second and (b) third choice preference for a new sleeper factory following the selection of Bescot Rail Yard as its preferred site; for what reasons those two sites were rejected; and if he will make a statement.

A proposal for a new facility in Bescot is being developed by Network Rail to produce the sleepers necessary for them to maintain, renew, and enhance our rail network. The facility is intended to make up the shortfall when an existing facility at Washwood Heath is closed to become an HS2 depot.

There were originally six sites identified as potential locations for a new sleeper factory. Following a comprehensive review, Bescot Down in Sandwell and Kingmoor Depot in Carlisle were shortlisted for final consideration.

Kingmoor was subsequently discounted for a variety of reasons, including: a number of potentially significant environmental constraints such as land contamination; being located adjacent to several designated heritage assets as well as being within a world heritage site – significantly increasing development costs and reducing viability; and its geographical location in the north-west of England posing logistical challenges for transporting sleepers to projects based around the entire network.

I have no plans to make a statement about the proposed facility.