Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of rolling stock age on (a) reliability and (b) service quality on Great Western Railway routes.

The average age of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) rolling stock is 15 years, as published on the Office of Rail and Road website as at 31 March 2024.

My officials receive regular updates on GWR’s train fleet. Detailed maintenance arrangements are a matter for GWR, its maintenance providers and the rolling stock owning companies. GWR works closely with its maintainers and the supply chain to source parts to maintain the trains as required.

The age of rolling stock is one of the factors that can impact on reliability and service quality. GWR and Network Rail have been working together to develop plans to replace ageing rolling stock with trains that will better meet the needs of passengers in the future. Any specific proposals are subject to both business case approval and funding being available.