Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 9 April (HL6750), whether they will commission an independent study of the options for operating Pendolino trains on HS2 during the period before Phase 2B is complete, to consider (1) the speeds at which they are able to operate, (2) the capacity of HS2 in this period, and (3) comparisons between the speed of tilting Pendolinos on the winding route north of Preston with the non-tilting HS2 trains, so that a comparative cost and benefit estimate can be produced.

HS2 Ltd. is currently procuring a new high speed train fleet for Phase 1. HS2 Ltd. has extensively considered the rolling stock requirements to deliver the full benefits of the HS2 business case, taking account of journey times, capacity and cost, and concluded that a high-speed, conventional-compatible fleet represents the best value for money option. HS2 Ltd.’s work has been subject to rigorous assurance.