Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what sum Network Rail has spent on railway sleepers in the past 12 months; and whether Network Rail is stockpiling railway sleepers.

A proposal for a new facility in Bescot is being developed by Network Rail to produce the sleepers necessary for them to maintain, renew, and enhance our rail network. The facility is intended to make up the shortfall when an existing facility at Washwood Heath is closed to become an HS2 depot.

Network Rail is managing the demand for and supply of sleepers to address the risk from limited production capacity. A stockpile of sleepers has been established to meet demand between Washwood Heath ceasing production in ten weeks’ time and the replacement facility reaching production capacity.

Network Rail has spent approximately £32m on sleepers in the last financial year.