Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 9 February (HL5871), whether the existing diesel rail fleet will be replaced with new diesel trains when it is retired.
As mentioned in my previous answer to HL 5871, when existing diesel trains require replacement we will work closely with operators and manufacturers on deploying the most appropriate traction technology. The Government supports the deployment of hydrogen and battery trains to decarbonise the network, as well as further electrification, and we would expect where diesel-only trains are replaced, their replacements combine different power technologies that make the most operational and economic sense.