Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what platform height above the rail is specified for the new HS2 trains and HS2 line platforms; what is the standard platform height for Network Rail stations likely to be served by HS2 trains; and for each type of platform height how many will achieve level access.

The new HS2 stations, platforms will be circa 1115mm above rail height. The existing Network Rail stations platforms are nominally 915mm above rail height but for historical reasons there can be a variation between different stations. HS2 trains will be equipped with a moveable gap filler that deploys automatically before the doors open and provides level access between the train and platform at HS2 stations.

Manual boarding ramps will also be provided on board the train and at stations, which will be deployed by a member of staff when needed to provide step-free access from platform to train for the range of platform heights encountered at Network Rail stations.