Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the total cost of fuel to franchised train operators in each year from 2015 to date.

The following table shows the total diesel fuel and traction electricity charges from 2015/16 to date.

Source: ORR data portal and train operating company management accounts

¹ Figures are shown in £m for each financial year. For the period 2015/16 to 2020/21, figures are in 2020/21 prices. For 2021/22, figures are in 2021/22 prices.

² The figures for 2021/22 are taken from management accounts supplied to the Department by DfT-franchised train operating companies. The period covered is from 1 April to 11 December 2021. There may still be wash-up payments between the Department and DfT-franchised operators for 2021/22 to take place which are not reflected in the above figures.