Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the estimated additional track wear maintenance costs that might occur on the Midland Main Line as a result of the use of bi-mode Intercity Express Programme trains rather than electric trains.

It would not have been possible to run electric trains to Sheffield until at least the start of 2024 when the infrastructure might have been delivered. The value for money for this work, taking account of the impact of HS2, was poor which is why this work is not being pursued and other upgrades are being delivered along this route that will deliver the same passenger benefits more quickly.

Variable Track Access Charge (VTAC) rates are paid by Train Operating Companies to Network Rail for use of its infrastructure. The purpose of this charge is to allow Network Rail to recover its operating, maintenance and renewal costs that vary with traffic (including track wear and tear). No new trains have yet been ordered for the Midland Mainline and this would be subject to competition and future design, so therefore precise information on the VTAC rates for the new bi-mode rolling stock are not yet available.

Analysis on the Midland Main Line programme conducted earlier this year assumed VTAC rates for electric trains would be around 1/5th lower than that for bi-modes. The design of new rolling stock can be optimised to minimise track wear. However, in practice the design and specification of new trains is based on a wide range of often conflicting considerations that need to be balanced to achieve the best solution in the round. Track wear is only one of these considerations and it would be misleading to base design choices on track wear alone.

Track access charges are only one part of rail industry costs and we make decisions looking at all factors and costs and benefits in the round.