Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contingency plans they have in place for ensuring sufficient diesel-powered passenger rolling stock in areas where electrification and modernised signalling is planned to be introduced but is likely to be delayed.

The rolling stock market is a private sector one and the Government is committed to giving greater flexibility to the market to deliver innovative rolling stock solutions to the benefit of the passenger and the taxpayer. For example, as part of the Northern franchise competition, the Invitation to Tender, published on 27 February 2015, requires bidders to deliver 120 new carriages suitable for use on non-electrified routes. It will be for bidders to determine how to meet this requirement.