Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the statement by the Secretary of State for Transport on 27 March (HC Deb, col 652) that “we are replacing every single train in the north”, whether “we” refers to Her Majesty's Government; if not, who is responsible; and whether “the north” refers only to the northern franchise or to all the rail services in the north.

As a benefit secured through the franchising process, the rail industry will be replacing with new, or refurbishing as new, all Northern and TransPennine Express trains.

The Northern franchise will introduce 281 new vehicles into the franchise from 2018 onwards to replace the 208 ‘Pacers’. The Northern fleet will see an overall increase by nearly one hundred and fifty vehicles.

The TransPennine Express fleet will see 87 vehicles refurbished as new. The remaining fleet of 124 vehicles (as at the time the franchise started) will be replaced by 220 new build vehicles; this means the fleet will increase by nearly one hundred vehicles.