Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost-benefit ratios were for (a) Midland Main Line electrification and (b) TransPennine electrification on the most recent date for which figures are available.

The cost-benefit ratio for Midland Mainline were calculated on the basis of delivering a package of benefits, including improved journey times and additional capacity and including track improvements.　 The cost benefit ratio was not calculated for Midland Main line electrification on its own.

For the North TransPennine electrification, we want to be more ambitious than simply putting the wires up as Network Rail had originally planned. Electrification alone on this route has been shown to be poor value for money, but when it is combined with track improvements to provide faster journeys and more frequent services, it has the potential to be high value for money.

Transpennine electrification remains central to our ambitious plans for the Northern Powerhouse, and it is required to deliver the capacity we want. It is vital that Network Rail does the job properly. The project has been temporarily paused while Network Rail works on revised plans to deliver the benefits required to ensure the scheme gets the best possible results.