Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2026 to Question 18909 on Rolling Stock, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the delay between the original expectation that all 33 Class 810 trains would be available for service by December 2022 and their phased introduction through 2026 and 2027; and what additional costs have been incurred by (a) her Department and (b) the operator as a result of that delay.

Delays from the train manufacturer have resulted in East Midlands Railway’s Hitachi Class 810 trains being delivered into passenger service over three years late, including due to the COVID-19 pandemic which closed factories for a period of time. DfT Operator, East Midlands Railway and Hitachi are working closely together to ensure the remaining Class 810 trains are delivered into passenger service, and the full East Midlands Railway intercity timetable is restored as soon as possible. Discussions regarding the costs incurred by the department and East Midlands Railway related to the delay to these trains are continuing and commercially sensitive.