Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 87421 on Rolling Stock: Leasing, on what terms South Western Railway’s rolling stock leasing arrangements were transferred into public ownership; and what the cost to the public purse is of those arrangements.

South Western Railway’s (SWR) rolling stock leases had the same end dates as the operator’s National Rail Contract, 25 May 2025. Rolling stock leases were negotiated and awarded alongside the transfer of SWR’s operations into public ownership. Details can be found on the Government’s Find a Tender website.

The Department had been aware of the details of SWR’s rolling stock leases from when they were first put in place. The expected costs of renewing the lease were therefore already recognised in expected future budget requirements for SWR.