Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the rising cost of energy on the rail industry.

We have not made an assessment of the effect of the rising cost of energy in the rail industry.

For information, fuel costs made up 3% of franchised train operator expenditure in 2017/18, the same proportion as in 2016/17. For additional information on income and expenditure in the rail industry please view the UK Rail Industry Financials, published by the Office of Rail and Road at the link below:

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/40351/uk-rail-industry-financial-information-2017-18.pdf