Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to address the fact that Network Rail did not deliver the Great Western electrification scheme on time.

In 2015, in response to cost increases and schedule delays on aspects of Network Rail’s investment programme, Sir Peter Hendy was asked to replan the programme in a way that was both affordable and deliverable.

In response to the recommendations of the Bowe Review into the planning of the current rail investment period, Network Rail have undertaken an Enhancements Improvement Plan which has strengthened, among other things, cost estimation, project and portfolio monitoring, project delivery, and project governance.

Four electrification projects were deferred on the Great Western Programme in autumn 2016 in order to address cost pressures within the current rail investment period covering 2014-2019 and to bring forward delivery of infrastructure that will allow passengers to benefit from further service improvements. We will continue to assess all elements of the Programme to ensure they remain deliverable and affordable.

Network Rail are delivering the Great Western electrification programme to the revised schedule set out in the Hendy Review.