Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission research on securing level access to trains in the UK (1) by lowering the track bed where it is possible to do so, (2) by rising the platform height where it is not possible to lower the track bed, and (3) by acquiring trains with low level access between the bogie wheels.

The Government is committed to improving accessibility across the rail network and recognises that level boarding is an essential ingredient of this. We are developing a long-term integrated rolling stock and infrastructure strategy for the first time in over 30 years. The strategy will place the needs of passengers at its heart and set out Great British Railways' expected future rolling stock requirements and how they can best be met and delivered. We anticipate the strategy will set out how we move forward with level boarding. It will then be for Great British Railways to determine the specific design and engineering solutions to deliver this.