Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the re-allocation of good-quality diesel-powered rolling stock following the electrification of railway lines.

It is a matter for operators to procure appropriate rolling stock to operate their services. Electrification can typically lead to significant fleet changes and the Department supports the opportunities presented by the cascade of displaced trains from newly electrified routes. However, we expect train owners and manufacturers to develop cost effective proposals to convert their diesel trains to bi-mode or use alternative energy sources.