Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that the Pendolino trains currently operating on the West Coast Main Line will be able to operate on the HS2 line, at least during times of maintenance or disruption of the West Coast Main Line.

There are no plans to operate Pendolino trains on the new high-speed railway line. Pendolino trains are currently limited to 200kph and operating these on a high-speed line with trains routinely operating at 330kph, and up to 360kph, would mean that we would be unable to maintain journey times and this would reduce the capacity of HS2.