Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for introducing new trains on the Midland Mainline between Sheffield and London.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Under East Midlands Railway’s plan, the new Class 810 ‘Aurora’ Bi-mode trains will commence passenger service operation during 2025, with phased introduction continuing into 2026.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the likely completion date of the electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Recent plans from Network Rail indicate that electrification of the Midland Main Line route to Sheffield and Nottingham could be completed in the early 2030s, subject to the necessary business case approvals.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's timescales are for the introduction of a third fast train each hour between Sheffield and Manchester.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Government is committed to upgrading the Hope Valley line which would help enable a third fast train between Manchester and Sheffield. The industry is in the early stages of planning next steps including delivery dates. The plan builds on the ongoing upgrades to the line due to complete this Spring which will deliver performance and capacity improvements for passengers and freight.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the planned new rolling stock for the midland mainline to be available.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Good progress is being made by East Midlands Railway (EMR) on the introduction of their new Class 810 ‘Aurora’ fleet with the first unit now going through testing.
EMR are meeting with the manufacturer, Hitachi, this month to discuss the delivery timescales of the programme after which a firm timeline for passenger service introduction is expected.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number of carriages on the TransPennine express service which will be scrapped by April 2024.
Answered by Huw Merriman
The Department is not aware of any plans by rolling stock owners to scrap carriages currently on lease to TransPennine Trains. The operator plans to return 66 Mark 5A carriages, which are currently surplus to requirements, to their owner Beacon Rail Leasing.