Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide support for the future of the rail industry through a research and development bicentenary challenge for the rail sector.

The 200 year anniversary is a nationally important moment to mark and celebrate. The DfT will work with the whole industry to make this a special event for workers and passengers alike.

We will look for opportunities to consider how we can promote research and development in rail during the bicentenary. The DfT currently works with Innovate UK and the Rail Safety and Standards Board to deliver research, development, and innovation programmes. One of the commitments of the William-Shapps Plan for Rail is a thirty-year strategy which will provide a clear, long-term plan for transforming the railways to strengthen collaboration, unlock efficiencies, and incentivise innovation.