Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of plans to continue the use of Pacer trains on the Northern franchise.

We are committed to improving services for passengers across the North of England. Pacers fall short of passengers’ expectations. As the Prime Minister has said, we will be asking bidders for the Northern franchise to propose plans to phase these outdated trains out. All franchise competitions are evaluated for quality as well as cost.

In presenting his Autumn Statement to Parliament, the Chancellor said that in the new Northern and TransPennine Express franchises Pacers would be replaced and that new and modern trains would be introduced.