Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2015 to Question 5807, what the cost-benefit ratio was for the overall Midland Main Line upgrade package, including electrification and other works, on the most recent date for which figures are available; and what the cost-benefit ratio for TransPennine electrification referred to in that Answer was on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Initial work considering the overall Midland Main Line (MML) upgrade package, including electrification and other works indicates that for options which retain or improve fast intercity rolling stock, on all MML services the benefit cost ratio (BCR) would be in a range between 4.7 and 7.2 dependent on train length and train type.

The initial work on the North Transpennine electrification business case comprises a range of scenarios.　 As I said in my previous answer, the latest assessment of the BCR for electrification alone showed it was poor value for money (less than 1) 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.